Spanish visit boosts Moroccan ties

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the new Prime Minister of Spain, has said his nation wants Morocco to host the 2010 World Cup.

Morocco is one of five countries - along with Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and South Africa - competing to stage the event which has been promised to Africa by Fifa.

Zapatero was in the Moroccan city of Casablanca on Saturday during a visit to improve relations between the two countries.

"Spain's candidate to host the 2010 football World Cup is Morocco," Zapatero announced on Saturday during his first trip as head of government.

"The Spanish government will full support (Morocco's) bid."

Zapatero's visit, which is aimed at bringing about stronger cooperation against terrorism, came as 14 Moroccans were under arrest in Spain on suspicion of taking part in the train bombings that killed 192 people in Madrid last month.

Morocco bid 'terror free'

The Spanish Prime Minister's backing comes just days after the American adviser to Morocco's World Cup bid said the African nation could handle terrorism.

"The Moroccans have a great reputation for being very strong with respect to control of terrorism," Alan Rothenberg, the former chairman of America's World Cup '94 committee, told the BBC on Thursday.

Fifa's executive will announce the tournament hosts in Zurich on 15 May.