Maghreb foreign ministers wind up meeting, Libya accepts to keep UMA chairmanship

The Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) council, comprising foreign ministers of the five member-countries, wound up a meeting in Tripoli, with Libya announcing it is relinquishing its previous decision to step down from the grouping rotating chairmanship.

The foreign ministers of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia "looked into the situation in the union in the light of developments in the region and conclusions reached by the follow-up committee in its latest meeting in Rabat."

The officials were also received by Libyan leader, Muammar al-Qathafi, for discussions on the UMA construction process, difficulties facing it and means to activate the Union treaty and agreements signed.

The foreign ministers council's presidency announced that Qathafi has accepted to keep the UMA chairmanship after "his brothers the heads of state of member-countries asked him to, until the coming summit which date will be set shortly."