Failure of fishery talks should not mar Morocco-Spain ties, official
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/12/2001

The halt of fisheries negotiations between Morocco and the European Union should not mar relations between Rabat and Madrid, Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, at a press conference at the end of a meeting of the Mediterranean Forum in Tangiers.

Benaissa, who deplored that the European Union unilaterally decided to stop the negotiations, said his Spanish peer, Josep Pique, informed him of his country's will to respect accords concluded with Morocco.

He cited in this regard the agreements signed in matters of safe passage of Moroccan persons and goods via Spain and the debt swapping.

The council of European fishery ministers decided last April to stop negotiations with Morocco on fisheries, after the two sides failed to reach agreement on a new fishery accord following several technical and political rounds of negotiations.

Immediately after the council's announcement, Spanish Premier, Jose Maria Aznar, was reported as saying his country would consider retaliation moves against Morocco.

The non-renewal of the fishery accord would have an impact on Morocco's relations with the European Union and with Spain, he reportedly said.

Some 400 European trawlers, mostly Spanish and Portuguese, were forced to berth after the expiry in November 1999 of the previous fishery accord with Morocco.

Morocco reacted by saying it was "an independent and sovereign state, privileges in its foreign relations positive dialogue and constructive negotiations and rejects the logic of pressures and bargaining."

"The policy of threats and intimidation is not consistent with the repeated statements by the Spanish government on the spirit of cooperation and the ties of friendship and neighborliness that must rule Moroccan-Spanish relations, " a spokesman for the Moroccan foreign department said.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco rejects any bargaining policy in its relations with Spain   (4/30/2001)
  Spain denies threats against Morocco   (4/28/2001)
  Expatriates transit, sole item of Moroccan-Spanish talks   (4/28/2001)

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