Morocco Eyes Future Claim on Spanish Enclaves Ceuta and Melilla, Report Suggests

Morocco does not seem to have renounced its annexationist claims on Ceuta and Melilla. In his letter to Mohammed VI in which he expressed Spain’s support for the Moroccan plan for Saharan autonomy, Pedro Sanchez nowhere mentions the two autonomous cities, which leaves doubts about this thorny issue.

To read: Spain’s Sanchez Defends Shift on Western Sahara to Ease Morocco Tensions

According to Diario16, Pedro Sanchez opted to change his position on the Sahara because he wanted to end the "unsustainable" crisis with Morocco a few months before the end of his term. For the little time he has left at the Moncloa, he no longer wants to have differences with Morocco, nor have to deal with migration crises with the invasion of migrants in Ceuta or Melilla.

To read: Spanish Newspaper Challenges Morocco’s Commitment to Ceuta and Melilla Sovereignty

But for its part, Morocco is unrolling its strategy of recovering the two autonomous cities as well as the Chafarinas Islands, Al Hoceima or Perejil (Laila), after having settled the Sahara issue, believes the same source, noting that the Moroccan embassy in Spain has published on its website in recent days, a map of the kingdom integrating the Sahara, Ceuta and Melilla.

To read: Morocco Steadfast on Sahara and Ceuta-Melilla Claims, Expert Says

Spain is aware that Morocco will not so easily renounce its annexationist desires on Ceuta and Melilla. Moreover, the Spanish intelligence services have warned in several reports that Morocco is preparing an offensive against these cities. Pedro Sanchez did not dare to expressly mention the situation of the two cities in his letter so as not to annoy Morocco, preferring to use terms such as "territorial integrity".