UMA SG conditions better partnership with EU to UMA integration
Maghreb, Politics, 2/26/2005

Secretary general of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) conditioned better partnership between the north African grouping and the European Union to the UMA ability to become a more integrated and efficient entity.

Talking at a conference on "UMA and the Barcelona process" held by the Mediterranean observatory, Habib Boulares recalled that the UMA set up in February 1989 in Marrakesh (by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) had spurred hopes before coming to a standstill as a result of the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara issue.

Morocco and Algeria, two major member countries, are at loggerheads over Algeria's backing to the Polisario movement which claims the separation from the rest of Morocco of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords with Spain.

He also blamed the situation in the Middle east for the current deadlock in the Barcelona process, a partnership launched in 1995 between the EU member states and southern Mediterranean countries.

The Process pursues the reinforcement of political and security dialogue, as means to promote peace and stability, shared prosperity through an economic and financial partnership and the gradual establishment of a free-trade area, rapprochement between peoples through a social, cultural and human partnership aimed at encouraging understanding between cultures and exchanges between civil societies. The MEDA programme, the main financial instrument for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, has contributed from 1995 to 2003, Û 5,458 million in cooperation programmes, projects and other supporting activities. The other important source of funding is the European Investment Bank that has lent Û 14 billion for developing activities in the Euro-Mediterranean Partners since 1974 (Û 3.7 billion in 2002-2003).

He also suggested to develop and institutionalise the 5"5 framework, between the 5 European Mediterranean European countries and the 5 UMA countries, insisting that this forum is the most appropriate structure where the two sides can debate economic, political and human issues, far from the middle east tension.

The European Union was also criticized by the UMA secretary general for basing its neighbourhood policy on religious and cultural considerations, stressing that while it is reluctant to admit Turkey, it is willing to give membership to Ukraine, or Moldavia.

In diplomatic terms, he explained, UMA is told: you will never be more than neighbours, difficult outskirts of a prosperous metropolis.

Boulares further insisted that if the UMA is to succeed in the development challenge, efforts should be supported by a massive flow of capital to the Mediterranean.

The Barcelona process was chosen as a theme for this year cycle of conferences held by the Mediterranean observatory and the Italian ministry of foreign affairs.

Speaker of the Moroccan House of representatives, Abdelouahed Radi, opened this cycle last January with a presentation on the role of parliaments and civil societies in consolidating Euro-Mediterranean relations.

Previous Stories:
  UMA countries insist on putting on track the Magreb Union despite differences   (2/19/2005)
  UMA prospects offer cooperation opportunities to fulfill objectives, FM   (2/18/2005)
  King Juan Carlos pleads for close Spain-Maghreb relations   (1/15/2005)

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