Spain-Morocco Diplomatic Rift Persists, Foreign Minister Says

José Manuel Albares assured on Friday that he is working to restore a "solid" relationship with Morocco, based on "mutual trust and respect". This objective "will take the time it needs," he stressed, specifying that for the moment, a visit to Rabat is not on his agenda. For these reasons, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs believes that the end of the crisis with Morocco is not near, reports El Pais.

To read: Morocco Demands Spain’s Support on Western Sahara for Diplomatic Thaw

The head of Spanish diplomacy wishes the return to his post of the Moroccan ambassador to Madrid, Karima Benyaich, recalled to Rabat for consultations last May. However, Albares does not seem to attach much importance to the remarks of the Head of the Moroccan Government, Aziz Akhannouch, who on Wednesday invited the kingdom’s partners to clearly express their position on the conflict in the Sahara, without explicitly citing Spain. The Spanish minister prefers to stick to the statements of King Mohammed VI who, in his speech of August 20 on the occasion of the Throne Feast, expressed his willingness to "inaugurate an unprecedented stage" in relations with Spain.

To read: King Felipe VI Urges Rebuilding Spain-Morocco Ties Amid Diplomatic Crisis

On Monday, King Felipe VI also affirmed Spain’s availability to "move forward together" with Morocco. But the Moroccan authorities are still awaiting the "gesture" of Spain before any resumption of relations, that is to say that it recognizes the sovereignty of Morocco over the Sahara, as the United States did under Trump in December 2020. "We want a political solution, mutually acceptable to the parties and, within the framework of the UN," Albares insisted, during his recent meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.

Spain has made an air force plane available to the new UN Special Envoy for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, for his first regional tour that took him to Morocco, the Tin