Morocco calls for unconditional reactivation of Maghreban union
Morocco-Maghreb, Politics, 4/7/1999

Morocco has called for the "unconditional" reactivation of the Arab Maghreb union (UMA).

Spokesman for the government Khalid Alioua told reporters on Tuesday after the cabinet's weekly meeting that Morocco is for the reactivation of the UMA bodies "without any condition on the part of whatever side" and called "Algeria of tomorrow" to be at the rendez-vous of this "unconditional" reactivation.

The UMA that was set up in Marrakesh in 1989 and that musters Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, is paralyzed 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 between Tripoli and western countries.

The spokesman added that Morocco is awaiting an (Algerian) official interlocutor, enjoying institutional legitimacy and the legitimacy conferred by the presidential elections of mid-April. Morocco will then consider that the statements and signals addressed to it are worth an answer on its part, the spokesman said.

Relations between Morocco and Algeria strained due to Algeria's direct involvement in the Sahara issue and after Algerian-born French nationals perpetrated in 1994 a terrorist attack against a luxury hotel in Marrakesh (Southern Morocco) that claimed the life of two Spanish tourists.

Morocco imposed afterwards an entry visa for Algerians wishing to visit the Kingdom while Algeria retaliated by closing land border with Morocco.

The Spokesman stated further that the reactivation of the spirit of the Marrakesh treaty, and mainly the aspects related to the setting up of a common Maghreban market, the standardization of customs regulations, the coordination of stands in negotiations with other economic groupings and financial institutions are likely to settle the pending problems between Morocco and Algeria.

Previous Stories:
  Speaker of Moroccan House of Representatives in Tunis   (4/3/1999)
  Moroccan-Tunisian entente a reality, Tunisian president   (3/20/1999)
  King Hassan II and President Ben Ali Upbeat over Future of Arab Maghreb Union   (3/16/1999)

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