Algiers hosts mome ministers of western mediterranean countries
Algeria-Regional, Politics, 6/21/1999

The home ministers of western Mediterranean countries started the proceedings of their 5th meeting in Algiers this Monday morning, with the participation, for the first time, of Libya.

The agenda is topped by the fight against organized crime, the movement of persons, cooperation in the struggle against incidence of natural hazards and in civilians' rescue operations and cooperation between local councils especially in urban management, devolution, and administrative reform and modernization.

Opening the informal forum, Algerian minister of the interior Abdelmalek Sellal called on Western Mediterranean countries to join efforts to control terrorism and criminality, describing the two phenomena as a serious threat to security, stability and peace in the region.

He said his country faced up "with courage and determination the terrorist threat and its propagation" and deplored that some countries grant to the terrorist phenomenon a false social value, and sometimes, and this is more serious, he said, try to legitimate the goals and actions of terrorism.

"This erroneous analysis has undoubtedly encouraged terrorist groups to persevere in their killing frenzy," the Algerian interior minister said.

He underlined further the numerous cooperation possibilities existing among the region countries saying these countries should focus on the fields of cooperation having "a more positive social dimension" such as the movement of persons, rescue operations and local councils promotion.

The meeting is to wind up later in the day by the adoption of the Algiers Declaration.

Besides the host country, Algeria, the meeting is gathering France, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia.

Previous Stories:
  Declaration on Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary cooperation adopted   (3/9/1999)
  Mediterranean forum foreign minister meetings begin   (3/5/1999)
  Mediterranean foreign ministers forum meets in Malta next month   (2/8/1999)

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