Algiers — At a meeting held Sunday in Algiers by Tunisian and Algerian businessmen, Chairwoman of Tunisia's Industry, Trade and Handicrafts Union (UTICA) Wided Bouchamaoui called for setting up a free trade zone between Tunisia and Algeria.

She spoke of the obstacles impeding the development of exchanges among the Arab Maghreb Union countries, saying that the cost of Maghreb economic non-integration found expression in a 2% loss in the growth rate of these countries.

Among the obstacles that hinder the growth of Tunisian-Algerian trade exchanges are notably the increase in customs duties imposed notably by Tunisia, in addition to the number of goods banned from export between the two countries, Mrs. Bouchamaoui highlighted.

Algeria's Industry and Investment Promotion Minister Cherif Rahmani pledged, in turn, to solve all the problems likely to hinder Tunisian-Algerian economic exchanges and implement the conventions expected to boost investments in the two countries.

Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali said, for his part, that Tunisia's Government is endeavouring to overcome the difficulties relating more particularly to air, sea and land transport to boost economic exchanges between the two countries.