The secretary-general of Amnesty International, Pierre Sane, has welcomed what he says is an improvement in Morocco's human rights record, but has urged the government to redress outstanding cases from the past.

Mr Sane told a news conference in Rabat that he was heartened by the political will of the prime minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, to proceed with reforms.

But he said he was anxious about some pending issues, including the identification of secret detention centres.

More than forty people have disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the past including thirty-two military officers involved in coup attempts in the early 1970s.