The new Spanish Foreign affairs Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, described Morocco as a "great friend" of Spain, in his first official statement after assuming his new position today, Monday, succeeding Arancha Gonzalez Laya, who was ousted by the diplomatic crisis with Morocco from the government of Pedro Sanchez in the government reshuffle that It was done last Saturday.
According to Europa Press, Albares stressed that there is a need to strengthen Spain's foreign relations, especially with the Kingdom of Morocco, adding that Morocco is a "great friend and neighbor from the south", without referring to the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
In this context, Albares added that there are priorities represented in providing security and dealing with the problems of clandestine immigration, "and for this, we must work with our friends and allies" to solve these problems, in reference to the need to strengthen relations with Morocco and other countries in West Africa and the Mediterranean.
With this statement, Albares laid out the outlines of Spain's foreign policy in his coming period, stressing the importance of improving relations with Morocco, and therefore it is expected that one of his first and most prominent tasks in his new position is to resolve the dispute with Morocco and overcome the current diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
The former Spanish Foreign Minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, was one of the main reasons that led to the outbreak of the crisis with Morocco, as she was the government member who gave the green light for the Polisario leader to enter Spain to receive treatment after being infected with the Coronavirus, despite the opposition of some other members, such as the Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
The current diplomatic crisis between Madrid and Rabat is the main reason for the dismissal of Arancha Gonzalez Laya from her position in the government reshuffle made by Pedro Sanchez of his coalition government last Saturday, and she was replaced by the Spanish ambassador to Paris, Jose Manuel Albares.
Sanchez's government is betting on the diplomatic acumen of Jose Manuel Albares to dissolve the crisis with Rabat and restore bilateral relations between the two countries to their previous era.
