Maroc Telecom's H1 profit up 34 pct

PARIS, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Maroc Telecom (IAM.CS) (IAM.PA) posted a 33.6 percent increase in first-half operating income on Thursday and predicted more than 18 percent growth for the year.

Operating income reached 5.999 billion dirhams on already reported revenue of 13.01 billion, up 19.5 percent.

Net attributable income rose 28.4 percent to 3.85 billion dirhams, Morocco's biggest telecoms operator said in a statement.

"Based on current market conditions and assuming no major exceptional disruption of the group's business, the (2007) consolidated revenue growth will exceed 16 percent (8 percent on a comparable basis) and operating income growth will exceed 18 percent (20 percent on a comparable basis)," Maroc Telecom said.

The Moroccan company is controlled by French media and telecoms group Vivendi (VIV.PA).

((Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Greg Mahlich; tel +331 4949 5452; paris.equities@reuters.com)) Keywords: MAROC TELECOM/

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