Arab Maghreb Union

The Arab Maghreb Union--Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania--vowed to speed their economic integration and announced plans for a customs union by 1995. The partner nations, meeting in Algiers, also called for strengthened ties with the European Community.

Efforts to promote economic and political integration in North Africa got left by the wayside in the chaos of the Persian Gulf war, but now that the dust has settled, the region's five heads of state will convene Sunday to try to set their house in order. First on the agenda for the Arab Maghreb Union summit in Casablanca, Morocco, will be deciding what to do about the upcoming Middle East peace conference: Does the Maghreb want to accept U.S. Secretary of State James A.

Efforts to promote economic and political integration in North Africa got left by the wayside in the chaos of the Persian Gulf war, but now that the dust has settled, the region's five heads of state will convene Sunday to try to set their house in order. First on the agenda for the Arab Maghreb Union summit in Casablanca, Morocco, will be deciding what to do about the upcoming Middle East peace conference: Does the Maghreb want to accept U.S. Secretary of State James A.

The Arab Maghreb Union--Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania--vowed to speed their economic integration and announced plans for a customs union by 1995. The partner nations, meeting in Algiers, also called for strengthened ties with the European Community.

Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi said a factory in Rabta "for the manufacture of medicines" will start up by June. The United States says the plant is a disguised chemical weapons plant. Kadafi told delegates to the opening session of the Arab Maghreb Union--composed of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia--that "each of you will be able to participate in it, visit it or buy medicines." The U.S.

Libyan leader Col. Moammar Kadafi arrived Saturday on the eve of a meeting with leaders of the five-nation Arab Maghreb Union that is expected to focus on the Western Sahara dispute again souring relations between Algeria and Morocco. The regional organization grouping Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria and Libya was created last February to work for integration between the North African Arab states.

Leaders of the 17-month-old Arab Maghreb Union will meet Saturday in Algiers to advance plans for a North African common market that would parallel the more unified European Community upcoming by the end of 1992. Substantial progress is considered possible on an agreement to eliminate trade barriers and customs duties, allowing free circulation of goods among the five Maghreb countries--Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.