Brussels/Rabat, 12/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - Morocco was angered by remarks made on 7 November by Commissioner Frits Bolkestein in a televised debate in his country, the Netherlands, in which he indirectly blamed Morocco for the murder of the Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh by an extreme right-wing Islamist militant who was a Dutchman of Moroccan descent. In his comments, as reported by the press, the European Commissioner, who is approaching the end of his mandate, said that "the King of Morocco must come out against Islamist extremism" and show clearly that his country "does not want to be an exporter of murderers". Mr Bolkestein is also said to have reiterated his criticism of Islam and multicultural societies, in short what he terms the "malaise of Muslims in the modern world". These remarks were considered all the more serious as they were made in the troubled context of the Netherlands, where the Muslim community feels that its rights and security are under threat following the murder of Theo van Gogh. The European Commissioner explained his direct appeal by saying that the Moroccan king is "defender of the faith" and also because, he says, under Moroccan law, all people of Moroccan descent, including those born in an EU country, are Moroccan citizens.
Steps have been taken by the Moroccan diplomatic representation in Brussels to obtain clarification from the President of the Commission. The reaction of the European Commission and Mr Prodi's close associates appears to be one of embarrassment, however, and no comment has yet been made. Commission spokespersons are limiting themselves to repeating that the remarks were made in a "personal capacity" and do not correspond to the spirit in which the Commission conducts its relations with the Muslim world and with Morocco in particular. "It is not the position of the Commission or its President", said Marco Vignudelli on the President's behalf. Commissioner Bolkestein's "personal" comments, of which the Commission was not directly aware, even therefore contradict the officially advocated policies with Morocco, with whom "close links" have been built up, and with European populations of foreign origin. The Commission recalled that it had just published an "integration manual" (see EUROPE of 11 November, p.11), which aims to identify "common integration criteria", said spokesperson Pietro Pietrucci, who observed that this affair was timely, since such events could, he said, "happen elsewhere in the EU. This underlines the importance of efforts to create a common integration policy".
Be that as it may, Morocco "strenuously" rejects the comments, which were "untenable judgements on Morocco's supposed part" in the tragic murder of the Dutch film-maker on 2 November, said the Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taieb Fassi Fihri, quoted by a Moroccan press agency. "How can Mr Bolkestein ignore this kingdom's consistent and firm position on terrorism and its firm and unequivocal commitment on this matter, which has been the subject (…) of extensive and useful dialogue with the European Union and its member states?", asked the Secretary of State. In his view, the Commissioner should instead be "asking himself why radical Islamism, which is alien to the Moroccan culture and values; has developed in his country". Mr Fihri invited Mr Bolkestein to reflect "on the aims, conditions and effectiveness of integration systems for foreign communities, particularly in socio-economics terms and in terms of education".