Morocco does not shoulder failure of fishery negotiations with EU
Morocco-European Union, Economics, 4/26/2001

Morocco does not shoulder the failure of fishery negotiations with the European Union, said Moroccan minister of maritime fisheries, Saed Chbaatou.

"Morocco which has always shown readiness to resume the negotiations cannot shoulder their failure, Chbaatou said Wednesday after the council of European fishery ministers decided not to resume the Morocco-EU negotiations on fisheries.

Morocco does not speak of failure and does not want to assume such a word for it has repeatedly voiced, at the level of the kingdom's high authorities, readiness to continue the negotiations, Chbaatou said.

He added that Morocco is still making its initial offer that it deems "very fair" and "guaranteeing the interests of both sides." He noted, however, that Morocco cannot settle all the problems of European fishermen and that Morocco's offer does not make a difference, either regional nor political, between the various components of the European fleet.

The European Fishery Ministers Council which decided not to resume fisheries negotiations with Morocco on the renewal of a fisheries accord requested the European Commission to submit to it the soonest possible an action plan for the restructuring of the European fleet, made up mainly of Spanish and Portuguese ships.

The EU ships, forced to berth after the expiry in November 1999 of the fishery accord with Morocco, will receive financial compensations up to June 2001.

Spanish Premier, Jose Maria Aznar, announced retaliation against Morocco following the suspension of negotiations.

He told Onda Cero private radio that the non-renewal of the fishery accord will have an impact on Morocco's relations with the European Union and with Spain.

Governmental sources in Madrid were quoted by Conco Dias daily as saying that Aznar on Thursday instructed his cabinet to freeze or slow down to the maximum pending economic operations with Morocco, awaiting new instructions.

Several Spanish sides imputed the responsibility of the rupture of negotiations to the Spanish government and the opposition PSOE vehemently charged Aznar of being responsible of the failure of negotiations.

Several radio commentators and anchors blamed the Spanish government for the non-renewal of the fishery accord with Morocco.

Previous Stories:
  Fisheries minister renews morocco's will to resume negotiations with EU   (4/14/2001)
  Idle Spanish fishermen transferred to Tunisian waters   (4/11/2001)
  Morocco regrets European commissioner's charges of Morocco's inflexibility in fishery negotiations   (4/7/2001)

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

Search