Maghreb union construction goes to respecting bodies' charter, Moroccan fm says

The construction of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) goes through respecting the charter of this Union, set up in 1989 by Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania.

The statement was made by Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa at a meeting on Inter-Arab cooperation, held in Assilah, part of this Atlantic Coast Town's annual festival.

Benaissa deplored that UMA is now "ailing" because of the non-respect by a neighbor country (Algeria) of one of the key clauses of the Union's charter, namely the respect of member countries' security.

Algeria continues to host on its territory a group challenging Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, he said, adding this Algerian attitude is a breach of the charter of the UMA.

It is true that all Arab states are, more or less, paralyzed by differences with their immediate neighbors, but Algeria is doubly handicapped by its internal crisis, which did not prevent Algiers from fomenting a tension spot with Morocco over the Kingdom's territorial integrity, said the foreign minister.

Benaissa noted that no country member of the European Union has hosted on its soil a group threatening the security and stability of another member state, since the creation of the European community 50 years ago.