Catalan deputies sent home by Morocco tried to 'act like stars', Catalan MP
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/11/2005

The Catalan parliamentarians who were denied entry, Wednesday, to the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune, were trying to "act like stars," deplored, here Thursday, deputy of the Socialist Party of Catalonia, Juan Manuel Jaime.

The Catalan deputy, also chairman of the Catalan parliamentary inter-group on the Moroccan Sahara, said his colleagues' decision to fly to the Moroccan city was a "sheer rashness," especially that the Spanish Foreign ministry recommended them not to go.

Local authorities of Laayoune expelled the Catalan delegation "hostile to Morocco and its territorial integrity," and known for its staunch support to the Algeria-backed separatist movement "Polisario" that claims the separation of Morocco's southern provinces (the Sahara) from the rest of the country.

Upon their arrival, Thursday, to Barcelona, the deputies announced they would protest before the Spanish Foreign Ministry for "lack of protection and defense" of parliamentarians.

Jaime, however, refused to sign the protest document. He deemed that "we have no reason to complain, since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed us, in writing, that the trip did not have the green light of Moroccan authorities."

Juan Manuel Jaime deplored that "far from contributing to the resolution of the conflict, this trip only further tensed the political situation in the region."

In a press statement, Moroccan Communication Minister Nabil Benabdellah said Morocco cannot tolerate the obstinacy of a Spanish group that supports the separatists' thesis, and tries to enter the southern provinces in defiance of the refusal of the Moroccan authorities.

"Morocco, or any other country, he continued, cannot tolerate such acts that aim only to destabilize our country," he said at the end of a meeting of the Moroccan cabinet.

The minister expressed, on the other hand, Morocco's readiness to receive any delegations of Spanish official institutions that wish to visit the region.

Moroccan authorities had expelled another Spanish delegation that wanted to visit Laayoune for "lack of official authorization to practice political activities" and for "biased support" to the Polisario separatists.

It also sent home a Spanish journalist for "false statements" concerning her occupation.

These incidents come in the aftermath of the events that occurred late May between local police and some individuals in Laayoune, who made "provocative acts" in a bid to force penitentiary authorities "cancel their decision of transferring an inmate sentenced for drug smuggling and organisation of illegal emigration."

Previous Stories:
  Pro-separatists Catalan MPs seek to mar Morocco-Spanish relations, Minister   (6/9/2005)
  Pleas for constructive dialogue between Moroccan, Spanish civil societies on Sahara conflict   (6/9/2005)
  Morocco, Spain agree to re-launch search for Sahara conflict solution, communique   (6/8/2005)

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