The European Commission praised Spain’s reconciliation with Morocco on Monday after adopting Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, though it emphasized that the territory’s status must be determined through a political process in compliance with UN resolutions.
“On Spain’s perspective, the European Union welcomes constructive advances in the bilateral relationship between Member States and Morocco that enhance the EU-Morocco partnership,” said EU Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Nabila Massrali.
Last Friday, Pedro Sánchez’s government proclaimed a “new stage” in relations with Rabat, stating in a letter to King Mohamed VI that Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara is “the most serious and practical base” for finding a solution to the problem.
In any case, Massrali has emphasized the importance of resolving the Western Sahara issue through a political process in compliance with UN resolutions. “The solution must be political, fair, reasonable, pragmatic, long-term sustainable, and mutually accepted,” said a community representative.
Sánchez has bowed to Rabat’s pressure, which had asked Madrid for clarification on the plan for the former Spanish territory. This shift, however, has opened a new front with Algeria, which claims that the Spanish government never told it ahead of time and has already summoned its ambassador to Madrid for consultations.