Pedro Sanchez's Message to Sovereign: Strong Act of Re-evaluation of Madrid's Position on Moroccan Sahara issue (Expert)
This message addressed to HM the King by Sanchez "is interesting in several respects. For Morocco, it is a strong act of re-evaluation of the position of Madrid on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara," he said in a statement to MAP.
"Morocco has been waiting since the beginning for strong signs in this direction," he said, adding that "it was in this spirit that HM King Mohammed VI had called, in his speech of August 20, to inaugurate a new stage based on a number of fundamental principles, namely trust, transparency, mutual consideration and respect for commitments".
The expert highlighted the high appreciation by Morocco "of the positive positions and constructive commitments of Spain", as expressed in a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, adding that the message sent to the Sovereign by Sanchez is "a strong act and sign of this willingness of the Spanish authorities to finally normalize relations with the Moroccan neighbor”.
In his opinion, this process is now engaged with the upcoming visit to Rabat, of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares.
This visit, added Sehimi, will be "an opportunity for Morocco to share its intentions and recall the principles that guide its diplomacy, especially its relations with the Iberian neighbor," adding that it will also "prepare the ground for a visit by the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez”.
Similarly, the expert recalled that the Spanish reaction comes a few months after the positive one of the German government and the message sent to the Sovereign by German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, considering it as a significant political message of Berlin's willingness "to renew relations with Rabat on new bases”.
"Morocco expects, we believe, that these new elements will have an impact on the assessment of the national issue by the European Union and therefore by other countries that are still in a position that does not suit the best interests of the Kingdom," noted Sehimi, stressing that "a process is underway (...) Here are two countries that expressed stances in all clarity and transparency about the national question”.
"For Madrid, this is a significant gesture but Morocco expects an even greater gesture that is likely to take into account the U.S. position on the national issue as formulated by the Washington administration," he concluded.
"Morocco has been waiting since the beginning for strong signs in this direction," he said, adding that "it was in this spirit that HM King Mohammed VI had called, in his speech of August 20, to inaugurate a new stage based on a number of fundamental principles, namely trust, transparency, mutual consideration and respect for commitments".
The expert highlighted the high appreciation by Morocco "of the positive positions and constructive commitments of Spain", as expressed in a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, adding that the message sent to the Sovereign by Sanchez is "a strong act and sign of this willingness of the Spanish authorities to finally normalize relations with the Moroccan neighbor”.
In his opinion, this process is now engaged with the upcoming visit to Rabat, of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares.
This visit, added Sehimi, will be "an opportunity for Morocco to share its intentions and recall the principles that guide its diplomacy, especially its relations with the Iberian neighbor," adding that it will also "prepare the ground for a visit by the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez”.
Similarly, the expert recalled that the Spanish reaction comes a few months after the positive one of the German government and the message sent to the Sovereign by German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, considering it as a significant political message of Berlin's willingness "to renew relations with Rabat on new bases”.
"Morocco expects, we believe, that these new elements will have an impact on the assessment of the national issue by the European Union and therefore by other countries that are still in a position that does not suit the best interests of the Kingdom," noted Sehimi, stressing that "a process is underway (...) Here are two countries that expressed stances in all clarity and transparency about the national question”.
"For Madrid, this is a significant gesture but Morocco expects an even greater gesture that is likely to take into account the U.S. position on the national issue as formulated by the Washington administration," he concluded.
The message sent to HM King Mohammed VI by president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, is "a strong act of re-evaluation of Madrid's position on the Moroccan Sahara issue," said political expert and law professor Mustapha Sehimi.