U.S. waits for response from North African states on ministerial meeting

The U.S.A. is currently waiting for a response from three North African countries, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, concerning the possibility of holding an autumn ministerial meeting in Washington to discuss the details of establishing a developed economic partnership with these countries as a preliminary step to establishing a free trade zone.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Stuart Eizenstat visited the three Maghreb (Arab West) capitals two weeks ago to present the project, which aims at strengthening U.S. - Maghreb economic partnership, based on three elements, including the enhancement of economical and political talks with high-ranking officials in the region, establishing structures for regional integration and the removal of barriers against trade.

Moroccan sources told ArabicNews.com that the suggestion of an economic partnership with Washington is aimed at increasing the volume of US investments and trade in North Africa.

The sources pointed out that major American companies have investments in North Africa, such as the Boeing company, which has a contract with the Moroccan Royal Airlines company, and Citibank, which recently opened its first branch in Algeria.

US companies have invested about $3 billion in the Maghreb states over the last two years.

Libya was excluded from participating in the Euro - Mediterranean Barcelona conference in 1995 and Washington excluded Libya and Mauritania -- both members of the inactive Arab Maghreb Union along with Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia -- from its project, saying that Tripoli has not abided by UN resolutions relating to the Lockerbie issue.