Algeria, EU to sign association accord dec. 19

The European Union and Algeria will sign an association accord on December 19, Belgian foreign minister, Louis Michel, announced on Wednesday.

The signing ceremony, to be held in Brussels, will be attended by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, said Michel, whose country is acting chairman of the European Union.

The two sides have concluded a long cycle of negotiations and agreed to settle pending issues, especially movement of people and struggle against terrorism.

Michel said the Union understands the difficulties Algeria face in fighting terrorism.

The European Union is already bound by association accords to Morocco and Tunisia. The accords provide, inter alia, for the creation by 2010 of a free trade area between the European bloc and the Maghreban nations.

Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are all member of the Arab Maghreb that also musters Libya and Mauritania.