This week, Morocco has once again placed Ceuta and Melilla at the forefront of its territorial claims. On Friday, Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi defended the country’s "historical and geographical" rights over these two autonomous cities and proposed the establishment of a dialogue mechanism with Spain to address the question of their future.
The government of Pedro Sánchez responded swiftly. Sources within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that Spain has communicated its "categorical rejection" of these claims to Morocco, reaffirming that Ceuta and Melilla fall under the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Spain and, consequently, are part of the European Union territory.
Ouahbi articulated Morocco's position during an interview with the public television channel "2M." The minister argued that Rabat had no intention of renouncing its claims and insisted that this matter should remain an integral part of relations with Spain. He proposed the creation of a bilateral mechanism to discuss the future of the two cities and to seek what he termed a "definitive solution." According to his proposal, such a process would lead to the integration of Ceuta and Melilla into Morocco.
Morocco's Claims Amid Migration Crisis
These statements come in the context of a migration crisis in Ceuta, where tens of thousands of individuals entered the city from Morocco at the end of July, overwhelming reception capacities and resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. This is not the first time that Ouahbi has challenged Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla since the onset of this migration crisis. On August 12, he had already asserted that Morocco continues to claim these two cities, and that the issue remains "on the table" in its discussions with Spain.
The territorial aspirations of Morocco regarding Ceuta and Melilla are not new either. Rabat has maintained these claims since its independence in 1956, while Spain has consistently rejected any challenge to its sovereignty.
As reported by fr.news.yahoo.com.
