The international community has commended the Morocco's King initiative to constitutional reform.

In Brussels, EU has welcomed the King of Morocco's announcement on Wednesday of extensive constitutional reform.

"It represents a commitment to further democratization.," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and EU Commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy Stefan Fulle in a joint statement Thursday night.

They noted that the proposed constitutional reform touches on key elements for modernisation, the independence of justice, the separation of powers, the strengthening of the government's role and equality for women. "Once fully implemented, it will be a qualitative leap in the process of reforms already initiated by Morocco.It opens a period of political debate that should include all political actors and civil society and be a response to the legitimate aspirations of the Moroccan people," said the statement.

In UN, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the comprehensive constitutional reforms announced yesterday by the King of Morocco Mohammed VI.

"The Secretary-General has repeatedly urged leaders in the region and beyond to listen to the voices of their people and to respond to what the people are saying," his spokesman Martin Nesirky said in reaction to the king's announcement "And what we have seen in the King's speech (yesterday) is a clear indication that the King has been listening to the voices of his people," Nesirky added.

Moroccan King Mohammed VI announced Wednesday the formation of an ad hoc committee tasked with suggesting amendments to the Constitution.

In an address to the nation, he said the committee will conduct a comprehensive constitutional reform designed to consolidate democracy and the rule of law.

The committee, chaired by Abdeltif Mennouni, is tasked with realizing the instructions the king has made in June, 2010, for amending the constitutions, Morocco's Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) news agency reported.

King Mohammed VI asked the committee members to listen to political parties, trade unions, youth organizations and qualified civil society groups, intellectuals and scholars, to seek their views.

The committee is expected to report back to the King by next June, the report added.