EU had no reason to pull out of talks, fishery minister says

The European Union had no reason to leave the negotiation table over fisheries with Morocco unless it was a tactical move, fishery minister Said Chbaatou said.

The Moroccan side to the talks, he said in a press-conference Wednesday, was baffled by the pullout when the atmosphere was constructive and things going the way both sides wanted. He denied flatly any backtracking by Morocco on specific issues saying he has asked the EU ambassador to Rabat to send him, in writing, the points which were agreed upon before the so-called backtracking.

The minister said Morocco was keen on consolidating ties with the EU and invited Brussels to implement the recommendations and principles it enforces in its own territorial waters.

Commissioner Fischler had said negotiations are now in a decisive phase and invited the Moroccan side to resume talks in a "negotiating spirit of reason and seriousness." Key points such as duration of the accord, financial compensation and fishing conditions and capacity, are still to be agreed upon, he said.