The Spanish press is concerned about the absence of an announcement of the return date of the Moroccan ambassador to Madrid despite the “friendly” gestures of Spain. She nevertheless notes that Spain can do better, following the example of Germany.
The Spanish media have noted that despite Spain’s gestures in recent days in favor of a return to normal diplomatic relations with Morocco, Ambassador Karima Benyaich has still not returned to Madrid, a sign of a chill still present in relations between the two countries.
“No date for the return of the Moroccan ambassador despite the last gestures of Spain”, indicated in an article, the Spanish newspaper La Razon, noting the answers given by the Moroccan government, questioned on the question of the diplomatic crisis Morocco-Spain.
Spain has called on King Felipe VI for help to try to calm the situation which tends to drag on. Since the beginning of the week, gestures from Madrid have been linked, in particular with a reference to Morocco in the speech of the Spanish monarch on the occasion of an annual reception given in honor of the diplomatic corps accredited in Spain, an outing media of the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, in which he says ” to share “ the statements of King Felipe VI and finally, a visit to the Moroccan pavilion at the international tourism fair Fitur.
“Spain’s latest gestures, such as the King’s speech, statements by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the visit to the Moroccan pavilion in Fitur by Felipe VI, are positively appreciated”, noted La Razon citing diplomatic sources.
The news site adds that progress has been made in the normalization of relations discreetly in recent months and affirms that the change of position of Germany on the question of the Sahara which goes in the direction of a recognition of the Moroccan plan of autonomy has been “a setback” in this process.
“The Germans have shown that it is not so complicated to undertake some steps requested by Rabat, in particular after the recognition by the United States of the Moroccan character of the Sahara and the establishment of relations with Israel, two allies of great importance in the world concert”, added La Razon.
Indeed, Rabat expects much more from Spain than from Germany, because Madrid claims to be an ally of Morocco on the Sahara issue, which Berlin had not done. Furthermore, Germany refused to welcome the leader of the Polisario, the Sahrawi separatist militia financed by Algeria, while Spain did and hid him in Morocco, which implies a double formal and informal process.
For the first 100 days in government, the head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch returned to the diplomatic conflict between Morocco and Spain since last spring. He referred to the position of King Mohammed VI, and affirmed that Morocco needs its partners not only to show an ambition to work together on future projects, but also “a loyal implication concerning the autonomy of the Sahara”.
Morocco asks “much clarity” in the step and the position of Spain, here is how it is possible to summarize the position of Morocco with regard to Spain, and for the moment these are only symbolic gestures and general positive words, which have marked the last interventions in Spain on the subject of the diplomatic crisis with Morocco.
The government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, also reacted to this issue by considering that King Mohammed VI spoke of “strategic relations between Morocco and Spain”, but also recalled that in previous speeches he had set the framework for relations “on two fundamental concepts: ambition and clarity”.
“The ambition is there. Spain has expressed its ambition, but for it to be consolidated, we need a lot of clarity”, said the spokesman for the Moroccan government.