20120710
Xinhua
Foreign ministers of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) member states agreed here Monday to adopt a common approach to deter security threats in the region.

At a meeting held Monday in Algiers, foreign ministers of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania focused their discussion on the growing threats of terrorism and organized crimes in the region.

The meeting adopted a declaration, in which the foreign ministers called for a common strategy to fight extremism and terrorism, organized crimes, money laundry, and human, drug and weapon trafficking in the region.

To curb arm trafficking among the UMA countries, the declaration calls to reinforce coordination in border controlling.

The top diplomats also discussed the Malian crisis and suggested in the declaration that the crisis "should be settled within a political resolution that safeguard its territorial integrity and thus avoid a military intervention."

"After following up the situation in Mali in recent weeks, we have concluded that there are still a big chance for a negotiated settlement for this crisis, and this is our common conviction at the Maghreb level, and also it is the first time that we have reached a common position towards the situation in the Sahel, and in Mali in particular," Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci told Xinhua after the meeting.

In addition, Libyan Foreign Minister Achour Ben Khayyal reiterated at the meeting Libya's request to have wanted officials in the toppled regime of Muammar Gaddafi handed over by some North African countries.

"We are sure that we would cooperate and reach with our brotherly members of the Maghreb Union a compromise on this issue, " he said.

The Maghreb foreign ministers also agreed to hold a summit of the UMA before the end of this year in Tunisia.

The UMA, launched in 1989, aims to achieve a political union and economic integration among members countries.