Morocco is relying on its "parliamentary diplomacy" to defend its interests better in the EU with regard to the Western Sahara issue (see EUROPE 11695).
The operation particularly targets the European Parliament, where Morocco is relying on its very active supporters. A delegation led by the head of the Moroccan Chamber of Representatives, Habib el Malki, has been in Brussels since the start of the week for an EU-Morocco joint parliamentary committee, which has been chaired by Gilles Pargneaux MEP (S&D, France). Maliki also met European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on 1 March.
Alongside this, joint meetings are continuing between lawyers in Rabat in order to find a politically acceptable technical solution – particularly to avoid a blockage of the fisheries agreement, which is being examined by European justice.
The general objective of these meetings is to seek the "means for strengthening the communication channels between parliamentarians". According to a Moroccan source, Maliki underlined "the need for reflection in a very troubled Euro-Mediterranean context", highlighting "the challenges especially for shared prosperity, security, stability and mobility".
Moroccan news agency MAP says that Tajani "reassured the Moroccan side about the continuation of the privileged relations" between the two sides. MAP also says Tajani "will work to protect the quality of these relations, to deepen them and provide new perspectives".
According to a report published on the website of the Moroccan Parliament, Maliki hailed the EU-Morocco joint parliamentary committee for its support of his country's proposals. He called for "Morocco's territorial integrity to be publicised and for the unsubstantiated allegations and manoeuvres of the enemies of Morocco's territorial integrity to be addressed, calling on its members to remain watchful and mobilised for the defence of Morocco's interests and major national causes".
The EU has also responded to the unexpected withdrawal of Moroccan forces from the Guerguarat zone, at the crossing of the separation lines between the enemy forces, and called for a sustainable ceasefire. "The EU supports the efforts of the UN secretary general aiming to reach a fair, sustainable and mutually acceptable political solution, which will ensure the self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara", according to a spokesperson from the European External Action Service. (Original version in French by Fathi B’Chir)