Following Senegal's move, Royal Air Maroc voiced, in a press releasing, its “profound disappointment and regret,” stressing that by this it runs the risk of “ruining the company (ASI).”

Underscoring its deep surprise, RAM also deplored the fact that the hearing was slated for April 1, which left no room for dialogue or discussion.

The row first erupted when the former Senegalese air transport minister, Farba Senghor, announced in 2007 that his country intended to acquire 75% of Air Senegal International, leaving only 25% to Morocco's flag carrier. RAM currently holds 51% of the joint venture.

The Moroccan company then said it respected Senegal's decision and decided to withdraw completely from ASI and started preparing for its departure and the transfer of the company to the Senegalese government”, but, stressed RAM in its release, no concrete action was taken from the part of the Senegalese authorities.

This situation pushed the Moroccan company to ask, in communiqué published last month in Dakar, its Senegalese partners to "immediately" draw up a "roadmap” for the transfer of ASI in “the best conditions” and no later that June 30, 2009.

Should they fail to do this, the Moroccan company would be "compelled to withdraw from the management of Air Senegal International as off the end of March 2009, it added in the communiqué.

Therefore, anticipating this date, the Senegalese partners filed a law suit against Royal Air Maroc in the regional court of Dakar, requiring it to continue managing the ASI.

"RAM has nothing to hide or to be blamed for," underlined the Moroccan company in its release, adding that it had always opted for dialogue, rather than confrontation, and cared for preserving the Moroccan-Senegalese traditional friendship.

It also pointed out that in this international context marked by a financial crisis, which has hit the aeronautical sector in particular, does not allow for any management vacuum or improvisation.

ASI was established in November 2000 with a capital of euro 10.85 million. RAM holds 51% against 49% for Senegal.