US-Maghreb partnership initiative is evolving, Eizenstat says
Maghreb, Politics, 11/13/1999

The US-Maghreb economic partnership initiative is evolving in the positive direction, US assistant secretary to the treasury, Stuart Eizenstat said on Friday.

Eizenstat --whose name was given to the initiative-- announced that a meeting will be held next year between the USA, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

The Initiative, launched by Eizenstat when he was undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs, aims to "encourage the three Maghreban nations to harmonize their custom systems" in such a way to intensify bilateral trade exchanges and hence, publicize their potentials to U.S. investors.

The initiative revolves around establishing a permanent dialogue at the highest level between the USA and the Maghreban countries, encouraging these countries to lift barriers to ensure a better flow of trade exchanges and materializing inter-Maghreban complementarity leading to better political relations.

Eizenstat, who was speaking at a press conference, said the project is of great importance to the US administration, which is exerting tremendous efforts to consolidate the initiative.

Touching on Mauritania's possible adhesion to the initiative, Eizenstat said he does not rule out such a possibility. "This is certainly a possibility, but it should still be studied," he said, adding that the initiative is also open to Libya, "when it abides by the norms of international behavior." "This is not the case at this stage."

Previous Stories:
  Arab mediation between Algeria and Morocco   (11/12/1999)
  Report: No Maghreb summit this year   (11/12/1999)
  Libyan President confers with Algerian, Tunisian FM s   (11/2/1999)
  U.S wants to break European monopoly in Maghreb, U.S official says   (5/3/1999)
  USA ready to help Morocco alleviate indebtedness   (2/10/1999)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search