Rabat Renews full support to Spain’s National Unity, Shall not recognize Catalonia’s independence

Morocco has renewed its full support to Spain’s national unity and sovereignty and affirmed that it does not recognize and will not recognize the unilateral declaration of independence of Catalonia.

Morocco, which faces itself for several years to a separatist threat, does not recognize and will not recognize in the future the unilateral declaration of independence of Catalonia, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Morocco, which has itself been facing for several years a separatist threat, does not recognize and will not recognize in the future, the unilateral declaration of independence of Catalonia,” said the Moroccan Foreign Ministry in a statement released Friday.

Morocco understands the reaction of the Spanish authorities and expresses its full solidarity with them, the statement said.

“In these particular circumstances in neighboring Spain, the Kingdom of Morocco fully support the Spanish Government, with a view to ensuring respect for the Constitution and preserving the national unity and sovereignty of the country,” the statement added.

In another statement released on October 11, the Moroccan government had described as “irresponsible” and “unsustainable” Catalonia’s unilateral secessionist move and renewed its strong backing to Spain’s sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity.

Morocco made it clear that it does not recognize this unilateral process, which is contrary to international legality and which is a source of instability and division not only in Spain but throughout its European neighborhood.
On Friday, the Catalonian parliament declared independence from Spain in defiance of the central government, in Madrid, and the Spanish government responded by approving direct rule in the breakaway region, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dissolving the regional parliament and calling for elections on December 21.

Immediately after the announcement, world leaders have thrown their full support behind Rajoy and the Spanish government in their efforts to stop Catalonia’s independence bid.

The US State Department, Germany, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Theresa May and others have voiced support to the Spanish government’s constitutional measures to keep Spain strong and united and stated clearly their refusal to recognize Catalonia independence move.

The European Union had made it clear that should Catalonia split from Spain, the region would cease to be part of the EU.

Catalonia is one of Spain’s wealthiest regions, but a stream of companies has announced plans to move head offices out of Catalonia in response to the crisis triggered since a disputed referendum in Catalonia on October 1, which was declared invalid by the country’s Constitutional Court.