Rice urges Morocco, Algeria to talk

RABAT, Morocco, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Sunday encouraged Morocco and Algeria to mend their fences.

In urging the two countries to normalize their relations, Rice called on them to work on the "challenges" facing them in the Maghreb, the African Press Agency reported.

"We believe that it is extremely important for Algeria and Morocco to have good relations," Rice said during a news conference with her Moroccan counterpart, Taib Fassi Fihri, following a two-day visit to Rabat after stops in Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

Rice said she and her Algerian and Moroccan counterparts plan to meet in October in New York when the United Nations' General Assembly convenes.

As part of the effort to achieve normalized relations, Morocco's King Mohammed VI in July urged Algeria to reopen land borders closed since 1994. The closures followed terrorist attacks on Moroccan soil in which Algerian nationals were involved, the press agency said.

Rabat accused Algiers of being behind the attacks.