Morocco to take part in peace-keeping mission in Bosnia

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Morocco and the European Union will sign in Brussels Tuesday an accord on the north African country’s participation in the European peace-keeping mission in Bosnia, code-named ALTHEA.

The accord will be signed by Morocco’s ambassador to the European communities, Menouar Alem, and EU’s higher representative for foreign policy, Javier Solana, a European source said.

Morocco is the “only north African country, member of the Barcelona process, to participate in this operation,” with a contingent of 130 militaries, said the European Union’s Council in a release.

A contingent of the Royal Armed Forces has already taken part in the NATO-led peace-keeping operation in Bosnia in 1995.