The former vice-president of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (EP), Elena Valenciano, referred to Morocco as “the first link and anchor” of the Euro-African cooperation and as a “reliable and inescapable partner” for Europe.

In a tribune titled “What if our future passed through the South?” that was published on Saturday in the newspaper El Pas, Valenciano emphasized that “Morocco is the first link, the first anchor of this progressive integration” that Euro-African collaboration is going towards.

Unquestionably, one of the nations with which we have the closest neighborhood cooperation is Morocco. And properly so, given that Rabat frequently shapes the Euro-Mediterranean space’s strategy and the de facto interdependence that ties our fates to those of Africa, according to the former Socialist spokesman in the Spanish Congress of Deputies.

Morocco is familiar with the shared principles that formed the foundation of the European Union. “With Morocco, otherness often finds ways to regularly enrich the shores of the Mediterranean with the same ambition: that of moving forward together and that a mutual interest prevails, without any doubt at all,” Valenciano continued. “The difference in culture does not always correspond to a difference of choice or conviction.”

Before stating that “the multiplicity of the challenges we face justifies a review of the cooperation frameworks, to reinforce both their scope and their content,” he estimated that “the contexts have changed and with them the balance and dynamics governing the diplomatic vocation of our Union.”

“With Morocco, we have, perhaps more than ever, the opportunity to innovate, to set an example and to give new impetus to the meaning of history,” Valenciano said.

Read Also: Improved relations with Morocco raise Spain’s trade surplus by 34%

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On Monday, the French Senate’s France-Morocco Friendship Group responded to the European Parliament’s resolution on press freedom in Morocco.

Christian Cambon, the head of the France-Morocco Friendship Group and the chairman of the French Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, condemned the resolution in a statement, calling it “a targeted attack” on Morocco.

“I learned with astonishment” of the European Parliament’s voting on a resolution denouncing the degradation of press freedom in Morocco, according to Cambon.

While the President of the Republic, the Government, and the French Ambassador are working to revitalize ties between France and Morocco, certain French MEPs, despite being close to the majority, prefer to lend their support to Morocco’s traditional foes, according to Christian Cambon.
“Ready to give lessons, they seem to appreciate the situation of human rights and the press in the Maghreb with a lot of bias, far from the realities,” adds the official.

The Senate’s France-Morocco Friendship Group reaffirms its unequivocal commitment to press freedom in every nation, without exception.

It will continue to try to improve ties with Morocco, which he said is still our most dependable ally and partner in promoting peace in this part of the world.

A few weeks ago, French MEP Stephane Sejourne, who has served as president of the Renwe Europe group since 2021, was accused by Lahcen Haddad, the president of the Moroccan-European Union Joint Parliamentary Committee, of having played a decisive part in the European institution’s condemnation of Morocco.

While the decision advances the European legislative body, the Moroccan Parliament opted to evaluate relations with its European equivalent without naming any specific individuals.

Read Also: Albares: Morocco is the main priority of the Spanish foreign policy

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Following the adoption of two amendments to the “Report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy 2022” by the European Parliament on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, a source from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs came forward to present a set of precise data outlining the maneuvers made by Morocco’s adversaries.
The source notes that in this context, the amendments, which are supported by groups opposed to Morocco’s interests, fall under the category of harassment and attacks against the Kingdom by those who are upset about Morocco’s development, prosperity, and strong presence in its regional and global environments.

Morocco has long warned of this continuous, specifically directed campaign, on numerous occasions. Morocco is the most singled out and offensive of all Arab and African nations, displaying a blatant bias that cannot be disregarded.
The abuses and actual transgressions of institutions and the democratic process are only partially expressed by these amendments. The source continues, “to see that people who complain of foreign intervention are the first to interfere in the domestic affairs and sovereignty of a sovereign State is surprising.”
According to the source, “those who complain of interference are in fact the heroes of such interference,” explaining that those who assert that their work is legitimate are basing their claims on unfounded allegations promoted by some media without any legal foundation while judicial investigations are still ongoing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs source emphasized that Morocco anticipated additional attacks, which would use certain factual and empty rhetoric that had previously achieved justice. He emphasized that those in the European Parliament who were hostile to Morocco and had a well-known agenda were not deterred by anything, disregarding the rights of victims, casting doubt on Morocco’s independent judicial system, and siding with people who had already been tried for violations of public rights, not in any way because of opinions or attitudes.
Morocco maintains its confidence in its national route, wisdom in its domestic and foreign policy alternatives, and inability to concur behind hidden or overt objectives without losing sight of the sensible attitude of some political groups and representations in the European Parliament.
According to the source, Morocco, which has always been dedicated to its strategic partnership with the EU, warns against the negative effects of such heinous maneuvers, appeals to wise and responsible individuals to speak with the language of reason and put the interests of the partnership first, and to abstain from participating in or supporting such manoeuvres.

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The Peruvian Congress urged the European Parliament not to “interfere” in the bilateral crisis between Morocco and Spain so as not to “exacerbate” the tension between the two parties who should resolve the crisis in a purely bilateral manner and “through diplomatic channels”.

In a motion adopted yesterday Tuesday, the Peruvian parliament underlines that the bilateral political crisis between Rabat and Madrid had erupted in mid-April last following the reception, “in a secret way” by Spain, of the leader of the separatist Polisario, wanted by the Spanish judicial authorities.

The motion, proposed by Deputy Martha Gladys Chavez Cossio, deplores that certain members of the European Parliament have exploited the issue of immigration as a pretext to try to “Europeanize” a bilateral crisis and “evade the real causes” of the crisis between Morocco and Spain.

In the same context, the Peruvian legislative institution hailed the “commitment” of King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as African Leader on the issue of migration, his personal action in favor of the fight against illegal immigration, as well as that the Sovereign’s decision to definitively settle the issue of unaccompanied Moroccan minors in some European countries.

In addition, the Congress hailed the major role of the Kingdom in the management of Afro-European migration and the concrete measures taken by Morocco to fight against illegal migration in its regional space and against trafficking in human beings, welcoming the firm Rabat’s commitment to maintain good neighborly relations with the European Union and the countries of the southern shore of the Mediterranean.

The motion notes that the EP’s decision regarding the bilateral crisis between Morocco and Spain contains unfounded observations with regard to the policies and mechanisms put in place by Rabat to fight against illegal immigration, noting that it does not reflect nor the reality of the distinguished partnership between the EU and the Kingdom, as it does not change the political and bilateral nature of the crisis between the two neighboring countries.

The Peruvian Congress recalls, in this regard, the adoption by Morocco in 2013 of the National Immigration and Asylum Strategy, which between 2014 and 2020 made it possible to regularize the situation of thousands of migrants, especially those from Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa, noting that Morocco has hosted, since 2020, the African Migration Observatory, based in Rabat, in recognition of the fundamental role of Morocco and its experience in the field of migration.

The resolution notes that Morocco’s cooperation in the field of migration has made it possible to abort more than 14,000 illegal immigration attempts, to dismantle 5,000 networks active in this area, to rescue more than 80,500 migrants at sea and to prevent countless intrusion attempts. Morocco is a responsible actor and has the right to demand that the responsibility for dealing with the migratory phenomenon be shared in the same spirit of commitment and mutual trust with its neighbors, concludes the Peruvian Congress.

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The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) expressed its rejection and denunciation of the resolution issued by the European Parliament on Morocco, stressing that it “ignores the origins of diplomatic relations and parliamentary norms between countries, which must always be based on the principle of dialogue, understanding, common interests and mutual respect.”

The Parliamentary Union noted in a communiqué that such decisions, based on unevidenced accusations would increase tension and undermine the foundations of partnership and strategic understanding between Arab countries and EU countries.

The communiqué also called on the European Parliament to take into consideration the concrete and unremitting efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco in combating terrorism, illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Moreover, the AIPU stressed that ignoring these efforts “will lead to counterproductive results that will harm the existing relations between Morocco and the countries of the European Union, in addition to encouraging unjustified interference in the affairs of independent sovereign states and their bilateral relations and promoting a policy of antagonizing Arab countries, instead of solving bilateral crises between countries by political means and diplomacy.”

In this regard, the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union expressed its full support for the Kingdom and all the measures is takes to confront this unjustified resolution and false accusations, expressing also its support for “the steps taken by Morocco to lay the foundations of security, stability and prosperity and everything that serves its proud people and preserves its sovereignty, independence and Arab and regional role.”

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The General Secretariat of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECCA) has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the European Parliament’s resolution against Morocco.

The General Secretariat confirmed in a statement that this resolution included fake criticism and baseless accusations regarding the policies and mechanisms followed by the Kingdom of Morocco with regard to illegal immigration.

In this regard, the ASSECCA called on the European Parliament to reconsider this unjustified resolution, “which ignored the tireless and tangible efforts made by the Kingdom in combating illegal immigration and issues of human trafficking and terrorism,” and to adopt practical and positive positions that enhance cooperation and joint coordination between countries in the field of illegal immigration, and favor rational dialogue to address any differences in bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain.

Moreover, the General Secretariat of the ASSECCA expressed its solidarity and full support for Morocco and for all the measures undertaken by the Kingdom to confront such invalid decisions, praising the great efforts made by Morocco to combat illegal immigration, especially towards Europe, including the decision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to facilitate the return of unaccompanied Moroccan minors who reside irregularly in some EU countries.

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The Arab Parliament will hold an emergency session in Cairo on June 26^th, to discuss the latest resolution issued by the European Parliament on Morocco, which included absurd and baseless accusations regarding the Kingdom’s policies on the issue of immigration.

Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Adel bin Abdulrahman Al-Assoumi, confirmed in a statement today, Friday, that holding this emergency special session “comes as a result of the Arab Parliament’s assumption of its national responsibility in solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco and its support in facing this crisis, into which the European Parliament has involved itself without any justification.”

Al-Assoumi stated that the Arab Parliament called on its European counterpart before the issuance of this resolution not to interfere in this crisis and to solve it within the bilateral framework between the Kingdom of Morocco and Spain, noting that “the insistence of the European Parliament to move forward with its provocative positions on Arab issues, and its issuance of resolution, which is rejected altogether and in detail, requires a serious Arab stand.”

It should be noted that, earlier, the Arab Parliament condemned the European Parliament’s resolution on Morocco, which included false criticism and baseless accusations regarding the Kingdom’s policies towards the issue of illegal immigration.

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In the midst of the controversy surrounding the European Parliament’s recent resolution, Pr. Youssef Chihab, shed light on this decision through an analytical approach shared exclusively with Morocco Telegraph, an approach that attempts to understand and explain this bilateral crisis.

In terms of the form in which the resolution was drawn up, Chihab pointed out that “the project came devoid of any formula referring to the word of condemnation or any escalation against Morocco. Rather, regret was expressed for what happened in Ceuta, and Parliament considered it a pressure card on Spain against the backdrop of an expensive reception confirmed within the same. The decision is based on Spain’s sovereignty over Ceuta and that it is a city belonging to the European Union.”

In terms of the language used, the same speaker highlighted that the decision “contained calm, fair and diplomatic terms par excellence. He also praised the role of the Moroccan authorities and their efforts in the file of clandestine immigration, stressing also his keenness to preserve the economic and strategic partnership with Morocco, in the context of the continuity of Morocco’s advanced situation, calling on the two countries to Commitment to dialogue and restoring water

In his statement, Chihab pointed out that “the resolution also included a warning to Morocco in diplomatic language not to pressure Spain, which may lead to a crisis of trust between the European Union and Morocco, which is not favored by the European Union, because Morocco is a strategic partner on several levels, and the EU wants to preserve that.”

On a different note, the political analyst mentions that “Parliament, in this resolution, expressed its concern about the escalation of the previous crisis, especially as it affected the economic relations between the two countries, and in front of its incomprehensible reasons according to the union, we must return to the situation before the crisis.”

Chihab added that the European Union “recorded with concern that the Moroccan security services allowed minors to enter Spain and used them as a pressure card during the crisis of Brahim Ghali’s entry into Spain, although the Moroccan Foreign Ministry denied any causal relationship between the two incidents.”

Accordingly, Chihab highlights that “the lesson from this crisis, which has become international, is that yesterday’s Morocco is not today’s Morocco. The European Union must get out of the gray area regarding the issue of territorial integrity, and must also understand the new strategic transformations that the region is witnessing, most notably the vital role that Morocco plays.”

For his part, Pr. Amine Sossi Alaoui stated that “the European Parliament’s decision is a clumsy decision and shows that the European Union has internal crises and conflicts in taking major decisions, as it is clearly evident that it was taken under pressure from the Spanish deputies, because the vote was contradictory and did not achieve unanimity.

The researcher emphasized that “the decision is against the higher interests of the European Union, and it also includes fallacies that support Spain, which tried to divert attention from its involvement in receiving a criminal under a false identity to protect him from the judiciary, to the issue of minors’ immigration, although Morocco confirmed the continuity of its cooperation in the recovery of minor immigrants, a decision praised by the international community.”

On Spain’s role in this decision, Alaoui said that “Spain influenced the issuance of this poor decision, which translates the bias of parties in the European Parliament to Spain and their failure to adhere to the impartiality stipulated in the general rules in which the European Parliament concluded an agreement with its African counterpart in 2017 and stipulates not to interfere in bilateral matters, one European and the other African, unless the matter is discussed between the two parliaments.”

Alaoui also emphasized an important detail that lies in the fact that “Morocco is legally framed and has every right to stop partnership and cooperation in the face of Spain’s breach of its bilateral obligations by receiving a war criminal who was involved in the murder of Moroccan and Spanish citizens.”

He continued, “The European Parliament’s claim that Morocco is blackmailing Spain is false, because Morocco was frank and did not include the immigration file within the crisis, but this resolution will encourage Spain to continue to violate the law and commitments with the European Union partners with pride.”

On the other hand, the expert stressed that “Morocco has the right to object to this resolution, because it has the right to preserve its national security,” adding that “the provocative European condemnation that the Arab and African Parliament denounced is described as unfair and biased by a country that commits violations against another partner country such as Morocco which is strictly committed to partnership rules and agreements.”

Alaoui concluded that “what is happening now is an important event in modern history, because this crisis corrects the paths and clarifies the need to transcend the teacher-student relationship and move to another level in dialogue, which is equality and reject the guardianship link between the countries of the north over the countries of the south.”

The researcher concluded in the end that “this crisis will increase the disintegration within the European Union and will reflect negatively on it, in return, the African and Arab Parliament will not back down from defending Morocco as one of their members.”

On a final note, Alaoui highlighted that “the method of threatening or directing is outdated and the European Union must overcome it. The language of interests is enough to return things to their right direction. This crisis will awaken in the European component a new challenge; which is understanding the geopolitical map and studying the balance of power according to the current developments and the conviction that there are forces which will establish a new reality in the regional arena.”

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates said, today Friday, that the resolution approved by the European Parliament on June 10, 2021, “does not change in any way the political nature of the bilateral crisis between Morocco and Spain.”

In a communiqué to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco expressed its refusal to use the European Parliament as a tool in this bilateral crisis between the two countries, stressing that this would be counterproductive and would not contribute to finding a solution.

Moreover, the communiqué stated that attempts to Europeanize this crisis are useless and do not change in any way its purely bilateral nature, its deep causes, and Spain’s constant responsibility for its outbreak, reiterating that “the era of the teacher and the student is over”.

The communiqué also stressed that including the European Parliament in this crisis is counterproductive. Far from contributing to finding a solution, it falls within the logic of short-sighted political bidding; as “this maneuver, which aims to divert the discussion from the deep causes of the crisis, does not fool anyone.”

In a related context, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry highlighted that “no one in Europe can question the quality of the partnership between the European Union and Morocco in all fields, including migration”, and that the decision “contradicts Morocco’s model record regarding cooperation in the field of migration with the European Union.”

Moreover, the communiqué stated that “those who are trying to criticize Morocco in this field are the same ones who are actually benefiting from its tangible and daily results.”

The communiqué concluded that, since 2017, cooperation in the field of migration has made it possible to abort more than 14,000 illegal immigration attempts, dismantle 5,000 smuggling networks, rescue more than 80,500 migrants at sea and prevent countless intrusion attempts.

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