«Rabat does not recognize Spain's sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla», Moroccan diplomat says

The Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister unveiled, Tuesday, details about summoning Morocco’s ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich.

According to Arancha Gonzalez, the Moroccan diplomat told Cristina Gallach, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that Rabat does not recognize Spain’s sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, adding that the Kingdom’s position in this regard has not changed. Morocco still considers the two cities to be «occupied».

Gonzalez confirmed, during a press conference co-hosted with Belarusian opposition leader Sveltana Tikanovskaya, that her department summoned the Moroccan ambassador to «ask for clarification» following statements by the head of government, Saadeddine El Othmani on Ceuta and Melilla. «This is the diplomatic formula» to protest against the statement, she said.

On Monday, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that «Spain expects all its partners to respect its sovereignty and its territorial integrity».