In a speech to the 67th UN General Assembly, read by HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, the monarch regretted that the "Syrian people are each day paying the blood price for their freedom," and "yearn for the kind of democratic change that would enable each component of the Syrian population to contribute to achieving the desired change."

   The sovereign affirmed that Morocco which, as the only Arab country sitting on the Security Council, has significantly contributed to mobilizing international support for the Arab League’s initiatives and resolutions on Syria.

   He stressed the need to raise the financial resources required to meet the needs of refugees in neighboring countries and those of internally displaced persons, as well as to ease the suffering of the Syrians and put an end to their tragedy.

   In this context, the Sovereign recalled that Morocco continues to show its solidarity by providing medical services on a daily basis to the Syrian refugees in Jordan.

   The Monarch said that the changes witnessed in the Arab region reflect the will of the peoples involved to build democratic societies where human rights are respected, and where citizens enjoy equal opportunities and a dignified life, adding that the peoples in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen have ushered in a new era and made much headway towards democratic transition, despite a complex, troubled political environment, a fact which makes it incumbent on the international community to provide support and assistance to these countries to lift the constraints they face.

   Raising the "fundamental, longstanding challenge" of the Palestinian issue, the message calls for the mobilization of international support to back the steps taken by the Palestinian National Authority so as to secure non-Member State status, stressing that negotiation is the best way for the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights, and to set up an independent, fully viable and geographically contiguous Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel, in peace and security.

    In the same context, the monarch voiced hope to see the international community change its approach to resolving this crisis by reconsidering its intervention mechanisms and work methods to make sure direct negotiations are resumed very soon and in the best possible circumstances, under the auspices of the influential powers and with their commitment.

   This cannot be achieved if the fait accompli policy is allowed to continue, the monarch insisted, adding that Morocco has strongly condemned the Israeli scheme for the Judaization of occupied East Jerusalem, as well as the designs to wipe out the city’s spiritual and cultural identity and to change its demographic and urban features. "Let me reaffirm, in this respect, that there will be no peace without East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state," HM the King concluded.