Morocco's premier calls for materializing Maghreb unity
Morocco-Maghreb, Politics, 6/14/2002

Moroccan Prime Minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, has called for materializing the unity of the Arab Maghreb on form bases taking into account the respect of the sovereignty of the member states of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).

Youssoufi, who was addressing in Tunis Wednesday the 10th session of the Moroccan-Tunisian high joint commission, pointed out that the UMA is a strategic choice at a time of regional groupings and that the countries of the region are called to work together to materialize the unity of the Arab Maghreb on firm bases taking into account the respect of the sovereignty of the UMA member countries.

UMA members are called more than ever before to work together to foster a climate of understanding to overcome all difficulties, give a new momentum to the UMA and consequently enhance inter-Maghreban cooperation and UMA's dialogue with other regional and international blocs, and in the first instance the European Union, Youssoufi said.

Echoing him, Tunisian Premier, Mohamed Ghannouchi, who was co-chairing the commission meeting, agreed that the UMA construction is a strategic option and Maghreban integration is a must.

The UMA that was set up in Marrakesh in 1989 and that musters Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, has been paralyzed for years due to strained relations between Morocco and Algeria over Algiers' direct involvement in the Sahara issue and due to Libya's criticism of the attitude adopted by the other UMA members in the Lockerbie crisis that was opposing Tripoli to western countries.

The Moroccan and Tunisian prime ministers also called for a definitive lifting of the embargo imposed on Libya, which has honored all its commitments in the Lockerbie affair.

The Tunisian prime minister further expressed hope that the coming UMA summit, scheduled to take place in Algiers June 21-22, would mark a new phase in reactivating the Maghreb unity process on firm bases.

In Algiers, Algerian foreign minister, Abdelaziz Belkadem, said at a news conference Wednesday that the coming UMA summit shall mark a new starting point for the Maghreb construction process.

He said the Maghreban process stumbled over the lack of coherence in vision and moves, urging member states to set priorities and to secure balance between the interests of each states. Belkhadem who also described the UMA as a strategic choice said at the era of globalization, UMA will help its members negotiate their interests with other groupings on better grounds.

Previous Stories:
  Outgoing secretary general of Maghreb union awarded Moroccan distinction   (2/28/2002)
  Morocco renews readiness to contribute to Maghreb construction   (1/30/2002)
  Maghreban meeting helped overcome psychological barriers, FM   (1/19/2002)

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