Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said Sunday that a peaceful settlement to the crisis in northern Mali is still possible.

"It's never late to seize all available opportunities provided by peaceful means to restore peace, security and territory integrity in Mali," Medelci said on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Algeria's accession to the UN.

Medelci said that the North African nation favors a dialogue to settle the crisis in Mali, though he added that a relentless fight is necessary for combating terror groups linked to al-Qaida in northern Mali.

Yet, the Algerian official stressed that such a fight should be conducted in parallel with the recovery of development projects in northern Mali.

The African Union (AU) approved the proposal of Economic Community of Western Africa States (ECOWAS) to deploy 3,300-strong forces to join Mali's 5,000 troops in the north.

The approval is necessary for the final endorsement by the UN, which had adopted a resolution on Oct. 12 to task ECOWAS with drawing up a plan for military intervention to restore peace in northern Mali.

If military actions were taken in northern Mali, Algeria would face the daunting task of safeguarding its 1,400 km-long borderline with Mali from infiltration of al-Qaida members and illegal influx of Malian refugees.