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Morocco suspends contact with the German embassy

In a serious tone, the Moroccan Foreign ministry has just cut off all contact with Germany. The Sahara and a spying case would be at the heart of the diplomatic crisis.

DR
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The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the head of government and the ministers to «suspend all contact with the German embassy in Morocco», in a document signed by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and released Monday, March 1.

«Because of the deep misunderstandings with the Federal Republic of Germany on fundamental questions related to the Kingdom of Morocco, the ministerial departments and all the bodies which are under their supervision, are requested to kindly suspend all contact, interaction, or cooperative action, in any case or in any form, both with the German Embassy in Morocco and with the German cooperation organizations and political foundations linked to it».

Foreign Ministry

«Any exemption from this suspension can only be done on the basis of a prior agreement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs», specifies the same source. The Ministry announced it has already suspended all contact with the diplomatic representation of Berlin in Rabat.

A diplomatic crisis

In the document in question, the head of diplomacy did not cite the reasons behind this decision. The ministry only referred to «deep misunderstandings with Germany on the subject of fundamental questions related to the Kingdom of Morocco». 

But concerning Western Sahara, the Kingdom knows the position of Berlin, which supports a «just, lasting and mutually political solution under the auspices of the United Nations». The same position was reiterated by the German Foreign Ministry in a statement released on December 14 following the Trump administration's recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara.

On condition of anonymity, a source contacted by Yabiladi said that Morocco's anger is linked to «suspicion of espionage». The same source explains that «Berlin would have sent informants to collect very sensitive information on the Kingdom».

Moreover, it indicates that the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the German foundations present in Morocco, by the fact that they «are high places for meetings and exchanges of information».

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