Morocco, Spain to enhance security cooperation
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 1/24/2001

Morocco and Spain on Tuesday voiced determination to enhance their security cooperation and described the consolidation of security mechanisms as a normal measure.

The consolidation of security mechanisms is a normal measure, said here Tuesday Moroccan minister of the interior, Ahmed el Midaoui, at a joint press conference with Spanish peer, Jaime Mayor Oreja, who was on a one-day work visit to Morocco.

El Midaoui said the renewal of existing mechanisms is meant to intensify, improve these mechanisms to make them more operational.

He said the future of the two countries can only be conceived in the frame of total understanding based on the preservation of legality and objective interests of each country.

Touching on the issue of illegal emigration of both Moroccans and nationals of other African sub-Saharan countries who transit via Morocco, El Midaoui said that the solutions to contain this emigration are of security order and that cooperation between Morocco and Spain in this field mainly aims at curbing any illegal phenomenon.

El Midaoui conceded that Security measures alone are not enough to put an end to illegal emigration. He stressed, in this connection, that Morocco endeavors to sensitize countries from Europe, north Africa and other parts of the world to grant further interest to the problems facing Africa and to contribute to find adequate solutions guaranteeing a decent life to all those who embark on the emigration adventure.

He insisted that Morocco does not encourage illegal emigration nor the violation of laws but is keen on defending the legitimate rights of all Moroccan emigrants, whether in regular or irregular situation. All these persons have rights that must be respected, he said.

Oreja, who was in Morocco on the very day a new law regulating immigration was entering into force in Spain, on his part said at the news conference that there is no witch hunt against immigrants in Spain and that such allegations are contrary to reality.

He said that out of the one million immigrants legally settled in Spain nearly 20 per cent are Moroccans, who form thus the largest foreign community in Spain. "This prompts us to stress the importance of legal immigration and to make of it a fundamental element in relations between the two countries," he said.

Oreja said that in 2000, some 15,000 persons entered Spain illegally and that the number of sub-Saharans do not exceed 3000. The remaining 12,000 are all Moroccans, he said, denying the existence of 100,000 illegal Moroccan immigrants in Spain.

The Spanish official stated further that no one can

actually curb the immigration phenomenon. What is important, he said, is to change mentalities and behaviors. No law can settle all pending problems.

He also announced that Morocco and Spain agreed to set up a sub-commission that will draw the balance sheet of bilateral relations, mainly in security matters.

Previous Stories:
  European parliament delegation in Morocco wednesday   (1/23/2001)
  28,000 Moroccan Sahrawis settled in europe protest their exclusion from referendum operation   (1/23/2001)
  US president voices determination to work jointly with King Mohammed   (1/22/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search