Spain has rejected any possibility of discussing the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco, after Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi reiterated Rabat's longstanding claim over the two Spanish-administered cities.
Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said in Ceuta on Wednesday that the two cities were “super-Spanish” and that their status could not be questioned.
“Any attack on Ceuta and Melilla is an attack on Spain as a whole. It must never happen again,” Robles said, referring to the mass migration crisis that hit Ceuta in late July.
Spain's Foreign Ministry also ruled out any discussion of the issue, saying in a statement that the country's territorial integrity “has not been, and will never be, discussed with anyone.”
The statements followed comments by Ouahbi to Asharq TV, in which he said Morocco has consistently raised the status of Ceuta and Melilla in talks with Spain, with the aim of reaching a solution through dialogue.
Morocco has regarded Ceuta and Melilla as occupied territories since gaining independence in 1956 and maintains that sovereignty over the cities should ultimately be transferred to Rabat. Spain, meanwhile, considers both cities integral parts of its territory.
Ouahbi's remarks were the first public reiteration of Morocco's sovereignty claims since the migration crisis in Ceuta at the end of July, when an estimated 72,000 migrants crossed into the enclave.
Despite the dispute over sovereignty, Madrid has continued to praise Morocco's cooperation in dealing with the migration crisis, particularly in facilitating the return of migrants who crossed into Ceuta. Spanish authorities have largely blamed people-smuggling networks for the mass influx.
Morocco's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that it had increased security measures around the borders with Ceuta and Melilla following calls circulating online for another mass crossing attempt on August 15.
The ministry warned that authorities would take legal action against organisers and participants and urged people not to respond to what it described as suspicious and misleading calls, citing the risks to people's lives.
Morocco also called on Spain to accelerate the return of unaccompanied Moroccan minors currently in Ceuta, arguing that administrative and judicial obstacles should be overcome to facilitate their return to their families.
The renewed exchange over sovereignty comes as Madrid and Rabat maintain close cooperation on migration and security while continuing to disagree over the territorial status of the two cities.
For Spain, however, the government's position remains unchanged: the country's territorial integrity, including Ceuta and Melilla, is not an issue open to negotiation.
