Ceuta President Affirms Spanish Sovereignty Over Enclaves Amid Moroccan Claims

"Ceuta and Melilla are Spain in the deepest sense of the word," he said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC to respond to the remarks of Saâdeddine El Othmani, head of the Moroccan government, who claimed that Ceuta and Melilla were like the Sahara, the territory of the kingdom and that this debate should be opened. He believes that these remarks "deserve the most categorical rejection." "Ceuta and Melilla are Spain in the deepest sense of the word," he said.

According to the Spanish official’s explanations, history, law and the firm and unequivocal will of the inhabitants of Ceuta and Melilla prove that these autonomous cities remain purely Spanish. "These words do not harm our morale, nor shake the confidence that the public authorities of the State, the government of the Nation and the Cortes place in our cities."

He also congratulated and encouraged the Spanish government, which reacted to Mr. El Othmani’s allegations. "The government has explicitly expressed its displeasure and called for respect for our sovereignty, specifying, unequivocally, that Ceuta and Melilla are Spain," he said.

Mr. Vivas also stressed the importance of cordiality in relations, in order to guarantee the population of these autonomous cities better conviviality with both Morocco and Spain.