Vanguardia: Spain and morocco need to address common problems with courage, Moroccan official

Moroccan Territory Development, Water and Environment minister, Mohamed El Yazghi expressed hope that Wednesday's scheduled meeting between Moroccan Foreign Affairs minister and Spanish counterpart will allow both parties to address common problems with "courage," through "a frank dialogue and a spirit of solidarity."

In an interview, published on Sunday by Spanish daily, "Vanguardia," El Yazghri stressed the need for both countries to "normalize relations, while endeavouring to find solutions to common problems."

Moroccan-Spanish ties deteriorated during the last few years over Spain's hostile stances to Morocco's supreme interests. The tension climaxed last summer when Spain moved in forces to occupy the Moroccan islet Tourah, some 180 metres away from the Moroccan Northern coast.

Regarding the Moroccan Sahara issue, El Yazghri stressed that his country is expecting a "full fledged support" from Madrid, deploring Spain's "incomprehensible attitude," by not supporting UN Secretary General personal envoy's proposal to grant the Sahara population wide autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

He called on Spain to "review its attitude and fulfil its responsibility as a Security Council's member, as of January 2003," charging that Madrid's attitude is behind the deterioration of bilateral relations.

The Moroccan official also pleaded in favor of "a comprehensive dialogue that leaves aside no taboo whatsoever including Sebta and Melillia (two Moroccan northern towns still under Spanish rule."