King Mohammed VI of Morocco has denounced the official visit of the Spanish king Juan Carlos to Ceuta and Melilla in the northern coast of the Alawite Kingdom, saying "it undermines the patriotic Feelings™ that are firmly deep-rooted in the Moroccan people. We firmly condemn and denounce this visit," protested the Moroccan King in his message Tuesday evening to a meeting of Moroccan Ministers here.
Morocco issued a royal statement in which the monarch warned bilateral ties could be at stake. Mohammed says Spain has to bear the responsiblity of any Consequences™ that may threaten future links between the two countries. But he also said the best way to manage and resolve the territorial dispute would be "a responsible dialogue that guarantees our sovereignty rights and which take Spain's interests into account. The best way to settle and resolve this territorial conflict requires the virtues of an honest, frank and open dialogue on the future."
On Wednesday, Abbas El Fassi, the Moroccan prime minister, predictably compared Spain's control of the two enclaves to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Along with Israel, Spain is today the only nation reluctant to turn the page on occupation" of territory, he said in an interview in the daily Aujourd'hui le Maroc. "Spain must understand that its colonial era is over and for good," El Fassi said.
Moroccans demonstrated against the trip and the government last week recalled its ambassador from Spain in protest. On Monday, around 1,000 Moroccans held a demonstration against the opening day of Juan Carlos's visit at the Moroccan border post with Ceuta, with one banner reading: "King Juan Carlos, Get Out Of Morocco's Ceuta and Melilla." |