Albares: ‘There will never be any discussion’ with Morocco over Ceuta and Melilla

Spain has ruled out any negotiations with Morocco over the status of Ceuta and Melilla, as renewed Moroccan claims over the two Spanish-administered cities add to tensions between the neighboring countries.

“There has been no discussion, there is no discussion, and there will never be any discussion about Spain’s territorial integrity with Morocco,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said Ceuta and Melilla “are Spain and always will be,” adding that statements by Moroccan officials claiming the territories as Moroccan land “degrade our bilateral relationship.”

Spain summoned Morocco’s chargé d’affaires on Aug. 21 after remarks by Moroccan officials regarding the status of the two cities. Moroccan Ambassador Karima Benyaich was not present at the meeting.

The dispute has intensified following a mass attempted entry into Ceuta on July 30 and 31. Spanish reports said more than 70,000 people entered the city from Morocco during the episode.

Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi was among the first government officials to publicly raise the territorial issue following the crisis, referring to Ceuta and Melilla as “our lands.”

Religious Affairs Minister Ahmed Toufiq later referred to the “liberation” of the two cities during a religious ceremony attended by King Mohammed VI.

Public Works and Water Minister Nizar Baraka subsequently said Morocco would not give up “an inch” of its territory.

The renewed dispute comes as Spain faces questions over its handling of the Ceuta crisis and Morocco’s role in the mass influx.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told Congress last week that Madrid currently has no “solid evidence” that the Moroccan government organized the influx. He said, however, that Spain would act decisively if evidence emerged linking Moroccan authorities to the events.

Sánchez also said Spain would review its coordination and early-warning mechanisms with Morocco to prevent a similar crisis from happening again.

“We want to have a good neighborly relationship with Morocco, but it is clear that, after what happened, that cooperation has to be different,” Sánchez said.