Morocco is one of EU’s most stable, powerful partners, MEP says

Member of the European Parliament Tomáš Zdechovský has underlined that Morocco is one of the most stable and powerful partners of the European Union and that cooperation with the North African country, which has been very succesful so far, will remain that way in the long term.

In an interview with the European news outlet EUBulletin Wednesday, the Czech MEP who was among those who refused to endorse a European Parliament’s resolution against Morocco on the backdrop of the political crisis opposing it to Spain, said about the prospects for deepening the EU-Morocco cooperation, especially in the fight against illegal migration and in the area of counterterrorism, that Morocco has strong ties with the European continent.

‘‘The cooperation to date with Morocco has been very successful and I believe it will remain that way in the long term. Morocco is one of the EU’s most stable and powerful partners,” he said, adding “Morocco could become a gateway for illegal migration if we do not try to settle relations and strengthen mutual trust.”

Regarding the conflict between Spain and Morocco, he warned that this difficult situation can have negative consequences also for other EU countries, pleading for the settlement of the Madrid-Rabat bilateral problems by dialogue and for not involving other states in their conflict.

About the resolution debated at a European Parliament session in Strasbourg last Thursday, the Czech politician told EUBulletin “I found it difficult to support this resolution and I voted against it. … This resolution is counterproductive for the relationship between Morocco and Spain.”

MEP Tomáš Zdechovský, who is a member of the Group of the European People’s Party, and who has also previously been a crisis manager, media analyst, poet and author, called for negotiations to fix the spat between Spain and Morocco which is essentially harming the region’s stability and cooperation, noting that the EU should mediate and help to calm emotions on both sides of the conflict.

to a question on a possible shift within the EU towards the position of the United States which officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, the Czech MEP said he thinks that the EU member states should follow what he described as “the right move from the US”, deeming this sensitive issue “important for the stability of both – the Maghreb region and also the EU.”

“Long-term ignorance of this thorny subject will certainly not help to resolve it.”