Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez used his visit to Ceuta and Melilla this Wednesday to defend the new diplomatic stage with Morocco after a tenmonth crisis. “We are laying the foundations for a much more solid and stronger relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco,” assured Sánchez, who declined to raise the issue during the government’s control session in Congress. The President stressed that the new relations with Morocco strengthen security and migration control, in addition to economic ties with the Moroccan country. Anything to build a relationship “based on mutual respect and the territorial integrity of both countries,” he added. “I think it’s exceptional news for Spain and also for Morocco,” assessed the President.
Sánchez traveled to the autonomous cities this Wednesday as part of the new phase in which the crisis with Rabat has ended and which was made public last Friday when the Royal House of Morocco revealed the contents of a letter from Sánchez to King Mohammed VI. In it, reproduced today by EL PAÍS, Spain abandoned its traditional position of neutrality in the Sahara conflict and sided with Rabat, describing its autonomy proposal “as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for settling the dispute”. considered former Spanish colony.
Sánchez appeared at noon with the President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, and explained that since his visit to the city ten months ago, coinciding with the migratory crisis, a silent work has been done with Morocco that makes an “extraordinary” agreement possible Has . and “balanced for both parties”. According to Sánchez, this pact has made it possible to end an “unsustainable crisis. “It’s never too late when luck is good,” he added.
Algeria, “strategic partner”
For the President, the Spanish position on Western Sahara is no different from that of other countries such as France, Germany or the European Commission and it is one of the proposals, he stressed, collected by the UN. It is important, he emphasized, “that those affected must agree on the solution”. Sánchez does not believe that this agreement with Morocco could affect Spain’s relations with Algeria, one of Spain’s main gas suppliers, which he has stressed will continue to be a “strategic partner”.
The President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, thanked Sánchez for his presence in Ceuta, expressing the “confidence” necessary to ensure the future and stability of the Spanish city. Vivas highlighted the plans drawn up by the central government to support the city’s growth and renew infrastructure and equipment for basic services and update Ceuta’s special economic and tax regime.
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From Ceuta, Sánchez traveled by helicopter to Melilla, where he signed the Book of Honor together with the President of the Autonomous City, Eduardo de Castro, at the Palace of Assembly. After visiting the works of the University Hospital of Melilla, the President of the Government explained that the resumption of relations with Morocco will mean a “strengthening of cooperation in antiterrorist matters and in economic and commercial cooperation” within a framework that, as he stressed, “must respect territorial integrity”. The crisis “cannot be endured any longer,” he assured.
Sánchez has stressed that the Spanish government’s decision “continues the position that various governments have expressed since 2007 to resolve a dispute that has lasted more than 40 years” and that it “follows a line supported by France, Germany, the institutions and within the framework of the United Nations resolutions”. He stressed that the new phase with Morocco is “very good news” for both countries and has specified that with the expected resumption of human trafficking and services this will be particularly the case for Melilla He was preceded by the autonomous city’s president, who described the crisis as “a strangulation by Morocco that had to be resolved, yes or yes”.
The chief executive has avoided answering a question as to whether Morocco has responded to the Spanish government’s letter to Mohamed VI. “The foreign minister will travel to Rabat shortly and you will learn the next steps for the security, stability and development that both countries deserve,” Sánchez replied, expressing his “respect” for Algeria’s decision to withdraw its ambassador to Spain . “We will do everything in our power to restore diplomatic relations, which have changed over the past few days,” concluded the district president.