Partnership with Morocco, EU needs to match words with action

Morocco has sent a clear and straight forward message to the European Union, telling the European bloc to defend bilateral partnership with tangible actions not words.

“Morocco expects the EU to prove its commitment to partnership through deeds, not words”, said Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita during a joint press briefing Monday in Rabat with EU neighborhood commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, who pays his first visit to Rabat since the European Court of Justice issued its ideologically-motivated verdict scrapping fisheries and agricultural deals with Morocco because they included goods from the southern provinces: the Sahara.

“It is necessary that everything said in European capitals about the importance of the European Union’s partnership with Morocco be translated into actions and concrete solutions in the face of provocations and harassment, which take political and legal forms and attempt to harm this partnership,” Bourita said, alluding to the politically-motivated ruling issued by the European Court of Justice.

“All what has been said in European capitals about the importance of the EU’s partnership with Morocco must be translated into actions and concrete solutions against blackmail and legal & economic harassment,” said Bourita, alluding to the politically-motivated ruling issued by the European Court of Justice regarding Morocco-EU fisheries and farming accords.

“Today, Morocco is waiting to see how the EU will respond to the provocations. Morocco expects the EU to send signals and make tangible proposals reflecting its commitment to this partnership and respond to the challenges at hand,” underlined Bourita, citing in this regard King Mohammed VI’s firm stand as voiced in his latest Green March speech saying that Morocco’s partnerships and legal obligations will never be at the expense of its territorial integrity or its national sovereignty.

Morocco will not sign any agreement that violates its national unity. “Today the ball is in the EU’s court,” Bourita said.

EU Commissioner on his part said Morocco is a “reliable” partner and a “pillar of stability” in the region, hailing the actions carried out jointly with the Kingdom, particularly the successful reform of the Kingdom’s social security project.

“In my opinion, we now need to redouble our efforts to figure out feasible solutions” to overcome the difficulties, he added. “We are committed to all the achievements we have made together and we would like to extend them,” said Mr. Varhelyi, announcing an upcoming agreement aimed at supporting the populations affected by Al Haouz earthquake and backing post-quake reconstruction efforts.