TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF THE KING OF MOROCCO

VATICAN CITY, 24 JUL, 1999 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a telegram sent by John Paul II to His Majesty Mohammed VI, the new king of Morocco, who succeeds his father, King Hassan II, who died yesterday evening at the age of 70:

"Upon learning the sad news of the death of His Majesty, King Hassan II of Morocco, I wish to express my profound condolences to the royal family, the government and the Moroccan people. In recalling the eminent figure of the late sovereign, who presided over the destiny of his country with the desire to lead it in dignity on the path of spiritual and material progress, and in recalling the meetings I had with him during my visit to Casablanca about the question of Jerusalem, I preserve the image of a man who wished to develop dialogue between believers and to contribute towards establishing peace among nations, especially in the Middle East. I pray to all merciful God to receive King Hassan II in His light and His peace and I ask Him to assist you in pursuing, according to His will, to build a kingdom of harmony and solidarity. May the Almighty fill with His blessing all Moroccans in this particular moment of their history."

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