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RABAT: Morocco\u2019s King Mohammed VI defended his country\u2019s \u201cpartnership\u201d with Spain on Friday but said it would not be influenced by pressure or threats, weeks after thousands of migrants swept into Madrid\u2019s North African exclave of Ceuta.<\/p>\n
The tiny territory has occupied a central place in Spanish politics ahead of elections next month, since more than 70,000 migrants entered from Morocco on July 30 and 31.<\/p>\n
The crisis eroded the popularity of Spain\u2019s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who blamed failed Moroccan border controls and called for changes to avoid a repeat of the incident.<\/p>\n
The incident became fodder for right-wing critics of immigration around the world.<\/p>\n
Mohammed, speaking at the opening of a new session of the Moroccan parliament, referred to \u201cthe irresponsible statements made by certain political and media circles and their blatant instrumentalization of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of the kingdom\u2019s links with Spain, he added: \u201cWe affirm that partnership is a sovereign choice and a voluntary commitment, which cannot be subject to any pressure or threat, nor to any form of blackmail.\u201d<\/p>\n
The king, who appeared walking with a crutch, said that the partnership with Madrid had seen \u201csignificant progress,\u201d including in the fight against irregular immigration. But it was also facing \u201cmajor challenges,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Morocco would present \u201cto its partners a document setting out a clear and practical strategic vision… aimed at promoting co-development, economic competitiveness, and regional stability,\u201d he added, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
These were the first remarks from the monarch addressing the incident in Ceuta.<\/p>\n
According to Fouad Yazourh, director general for international political affairs at Morocco\u2019s foreign ministry, the king was referring to \u201ca new model of cooperation, adapted to current realities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRecurring crises have shown that the current model has reached its limits,\u201d he told AFP, adding the king wanted \u201cto adopt a constructive rather than rhetorical approach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although most of the migrants who rushed into Ceuta returned in the following hours, thousands have remained for weeks in often dire conditions.<\/p>\n
Many of the city\u2019s roughly 84,000 inhabitants accuse Sanchez\u2019s government of abandoning them and regularly protest, demaning a swifter expulsion of the migrants.<\/p>\n
The leader of Spain\u2019s conservative opposition, which tops most polls, kicked off his election campaign in Ceuta this week.<\/p>\n
Alberto Nunez Feijoo called what had happened there a \u201csymptom of the decay, corruption and lies into which the nation has sunk.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n