US says encouraging Morocco to implement reforms

By Souhail Karam

Oct 24 (Reuters) - The United Sates said on Monday it was encouraging staunch ally Morocco to quickly implement reforms proposed by the Arab world's longest-serving dynasty.

King Mohammed reacted swiftly to pro-democracy protests inspired by revolts in Tunisia and Egypt by promising in March that there would be constitutional changes to reduce his powers in favour of elected officials and to make the judiciary more independent.

The reforms were approved in a July referendum even though the 48-year-old king will will retain a decisive say over strategic decisions. A new government will draft laws enshrining the new constitution after parliamentary polls next month.

"We expressed our encouragement for a quick implementation of the reforms that Morocco has charted for itself," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman said after talks with Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri in Rabat.

The proposed reforms have not convinced a youth-led movement that calls itself February 20, after the date of its first demonstration. It has continued regular protests to press the monarchy for deeper reform.

With almost a third of youths unemployed, high poverty rates, a poor education system and problems with nepotism and corruption, Morocco seems in the eyes of some analysts to contain all the ingredients for a revolt.

Government officials cite an ingrained deference towards the ruling monarchy and relatively relaxed political and public freedoms as immunising Morocco against full-blown unrest.

(Reporting By Souhail Karam)

Tagine of Lamb and Olive with Argan oil

This Moroccan tagine recipe calls for argan oil, a light, nutty oil which is exclusive to Morocco. While the argan oil imparts a unique flavor, olive oil or walnut oil can also be used. Beef or goat meat may be substituted for the lamb.

Tagine of Lamb and Olives is best prepared in a traditional Moroccan tagine (use a diffuser if cooking stovetop), but good results can be achieved by slow-cooking in a heavy-bottomed pot. Avoid high heat when cooking with argan or walnut oil.

Scoop up the tagine with Moroccan bread, and try serving it with Belgian French Fries heaped on top.

Serves four.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) lamb, cut into 2" to 3" pieces
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped medium
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/3 cup argan oil
• small hanful of cilantro sprigs, tied together
• 1/2 cup green olives with pits
• 1 cup water

Preparation:

Layer the sliced onions on the bottom of a tagine. In a bowl, mix the meat with the chopped onion and spices, and add the mixture to the tagine along with the water, argan oil and olives. Place the cilantro bouquet on top of the meat.

Cover the tagine, and place it on a diffuser over medium-low heat. It will take some time for the tagine to reach a simmer, but once it does, leave the tagine undisturbed for about three hours, using the lowest heat necessary to maintain the simmer.

There's no need to open the tagine unless you smell something burning. In that case, the heat was likely too high and a little water will need to be added to prevent scorching.

After the tagine has cooked for three hours, check on the meat. It should be very tender and easy to break apart with your fingers. If necessary, cook longer. When the meat is tender, reduce any excess liquid, and serve.

It's Moroccan tradition to serve the dish directly from the tagine in which it was cooked. It's best scooped up with crusty bread, with each person eating from his own side of the dish.

General Assembly Elects Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan, Togo as Non-Permanent Members of Security Council

The General Assembly today elected Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo to serve as non-permanent members of the Security Council for the next two years; but after nine rounds of voting, the seat allocated to a member from the Eastern European States was not filled, with Azerbaijan and Slovenia trading the leading edge.

Those elected will fill seats to be vacated on 31 December by Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon and Nigeria.  Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa will continue to serve as elected Council members during 2011, finishing the second year of their respective terms.  All new Council members will take their seats on 1 January 2012.

The five non-permanent members were to be elected according to the following pattern:  three from Africa and Asia-Pacific — with an understanding that two of those seats would go to African States — one from Eastern Europe, and one from Latin America and the Caribbean.  The three new members from Guatemala, Morocco and Pakistan were elected in the first round of voting.

With one vacancy remaining among the African and Asia-Pacific States and with no clear majority among the Eastern European States at the end of the second round of voting, the Assembly moved into a third round, in which Togo was elected from the African and Asian-Pacific States.  No Eastern European State during that round garnered sufficient votes.

In the six rounds that followed, Azerbaijan and Slovenia traded the lead in close votes.  In the final vote — pushing the meeting an hour past the designated deadline — a total of 191 votes were cast, with 113 in favour of Azerbaijan and 77 for Slovenia, with one abstention, and 127 being the required two-thirds majority to be elected.

The General Assembly will next convene at 10 a.m. on Monday, 24 October, to elect 18 members of the Economic and Social Council and to continue with elections for members of the Security Council.

First Round Voting Results

African and Asian-Pacific States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	0
Number of Members present and voting:	193
Required majority:	129
Number of votes obtained by country:
Morocco	151
Pakistan	129
Togo	119
Mauritania	98
Kyrgyzstan	55
Fiji	1
Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	0
Number of Members present and voting:	193
Required majority:	129
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	74
Slovenia	67
Hungary	52
Latin American and Caribbean States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	2
Number of Members present and voting:	191
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Guatemala	191

Having obtained the required two-thirds majority, Guatemala, Morocco and Pakistan were elected to the Security Council for two-year terms, beginning on 1 January 2012.  As one seat remained to be filled from among the African and Asian-Pacific States, and one seat from the Eastern European States, a second round of voting was required.

Second Round Voting (First Restricted)

African and Asian-Pacific States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	2
Number of Members present and voting:	191
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Togo	119
Mauritania	72
Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	5
Number of valid ballots:	188
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	187
Required majority:	125
Number of votes obtained by country:
Slovenia	97
Azerbaijan	90

With no country from the African and Asian-Pacific or the Eastern European States having received the required majority, the Assembly held a third ballot.

Third Round Voting (Second Restricted)

African and Asian-Pacific States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	192
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Togo	131
Mauritania	61

Having obtained the required majority, Togo was elected to the Security Council for a term of two years to commence on 1 January 2012.

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	192
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Slovenia	99
Azerbaijan	93

With no country from the Eastern European States having received the required majority, the Assembly held a fourth ballot.

Fourth Round Voting (Third Restricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	192
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	192
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	191
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Slovenia	98
Azerbaijan	93

With no country from the Eastern European States having received the required majority, the Assembly held a fifth round of balloting, which would be open to any Member State from the Eastern European region except for the outgoing member of the Security Council, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fifth Round Voting (First Unrestricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	192
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	98
Slovenia	93
Hungary	1

As the result of the balloting was inconclusive, one seat remained to be filled among the Eastern European States and a second round of unrestricted balloting took place.

Sixth Round Voting (Second Unrestricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	192
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	96
Slovenia	95
Estonia	1

As one seat remained to be filled among the Eastern European States following the sixth round of voting, the Assembly proceeded to a seventh round.

Seventh Round Voting (Third Unrestricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	193
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	193
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	192
Required majority:	128
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	100
Slovenia	91
Estonia	1

Another inconclusive round of voting led to an eighth round of balloting, once again restricted to Azerbaijan and Slovenia.

Eighth Round Voting (Fourth Restricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	191
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	191
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	190
Required majority:	127
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	110
Slovenia	80

Since the result of the ballot was inconclusive, Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser said that, due to the late hour, the ninth round of voting would take place on Monday, 24 October, following election of members to the Economic and Social Council.

The representative of Azerbaijan took the floor to request that the meeting be extended by one hour to continue with balloting.

President Al-Nasser, noting that the meeting had already been adjourned, said that Slovenia had requested suspension of the voting, and, since interpretation services were no longer available, the meeting would resume on Monday morning.

Responding, Azerbaijan’s delegate said that he had made an earlier request to the Secretariat to extend the meeting.

The Assembly President replied that, given that the time allocated to the meeting had already run out, and that interpretation services were no longer available, he would leave it to Member States to decide whether to continue.

The delegate of France said that his delegation was unwilling to proceed without simultaneous interpretation.

The representative of the Russian Federation, noting that his delegation had not heard a proposal to proceed without simultaneous interpretation, requested that the President ask that the interpreters stay on.

The President agreed to extend the meeting for one more round of voting.

Ninth Round of Voting (Fifth Restricted)

Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers:	191
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	191
Abstentions:	1
Number of Members present and voting:	190
Required majority:	127
Number of votes obtained by country:
Azerbaijan	113
Slovenia	77