(a) whether any agreement has been signed between India and Morocco in the field of transport this year;
(b) if so, the details thereof and whether it has been implemented so far;
(c) if so, the achievements made in this regard; and
(d) if not, the time by which it is likely to be implemented?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SURFACE TRANSPORT (SHRI HUKUMDEO NARAYAN YADAV)
(a) Yes,Sir.
(b) The agreement on `Merchant Shipping and related Maritime Matters` was signed between the representatives of Government of Morocco and the representatives of Republic of India on 22nd February,2000. The agreement provides for accessibility to the harbour and ports of the contracting parties to the vessels of either contracting party on equal terms. It also has important provisions for facilitating quicker turn around of vessels at the ports of the contracting parties, recognition of the certificates of registry issued by the Competent Authority of the respective Contracting parties as sufficient proof of the nationality of a vessel, acceptance of the identity documents of the crew members of the contracting parties issued by their competent authorities, to allow crew members of either contracting party to disembark from their vessel and to go ashore during the period of stay of the vessel at each other`s port, for repatriation of the income derived by the shipping enterprise of one contracting party in the territory of the other contracting party in freely convertible currencies mutually acceptable to both the contracting parties in accordance with the foreign exchange regulations of the contracting party in the territory of which the revenue accrued, for rendering assistance and protection to the vessels met with accidents or in distress in the territory of either country. It also provides for exchange of information on the crucial matters including the safety of life and property at sea, prevention and combating of pollution of the sea by ships, search and rescue and the training of personnel and crew, for constitution of a Bilateral Merchant Shipping Liaison Committee with the purpose of promoting the co-operation between the Contracting Parties in the field of Merchant Shipping and to oversee the implementation of this agreement by making recommendations to the contracting parties.
It has not been implemented so far because the required formalities to meet the constitutional requirements have not been yet completed.
(c) Does not arise.
(d) There are different procedures to comply with the constitutional requirements in the States of the contracting parties to give effect to the agreements. It will therefore depend on the action not only by India but also by the Government of Morocco to comply with the requirements of the law of Morocco. Therefore it is not possible for the Government of India to fix a time limit in this regard.