Spain Must Maintain ‘Best Relations’ with Morocco, Says Spanish FM

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Spain must maintain “the best relations” with Morocco, given the multidimensional interests that both countries share, said last night the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares. Invited to a program of Spanish news channel 24 Horas, Albares stressed that Spain must maintain “the best relations with Morocco,” a country with which it shares many challenges. According to him, his country’s relations with Morocco should be a state policy applied for mutual benefit, highlighting the depth of the ties that unite the two countries in all areas. The Foreign Minister recalled that more than 6,000 Spanish companies export products worth 12 billion euros to Morocco, pointing out that 1,200 Spanish companies are present in Morocco either directly or through their subsidiaries. He also stressed that judicial and security cooperation makes it possible to dismantle the jihadist networks that threaten both countries and to fight the mafias that traffic in human beings, highlighting the contribution of the Moroccan community living in Spain to the economic and social development of this country. The Minister also welcomed the positive results of the management of the migratory issue between Rabat and Madrid, stating that in the first quarter of 2023, the arrivals of irregular immigrants in the Canary Islands decreased by 63%, while in Greece and Italy they increased by 95% and 300% respectively. In this sense, Albares praised the new phase initiated a year ago between the two countries, pointing out that this new phase is based on “more solid principles.” The head of the Spanish diplomacy affirmed that the position of the Spanish government towards Morocco is very clear and unequivocal, adding that this position is expressed in the declaration of 7 April 2022 and in the joint declaration that closed the XII High Level Meeting. This position is based on cooperation, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, absence of unilateral acts and responsibility, he concluded.