Montero assures that Spain does not need the recognition of Morocco to say that Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish

It justifies the absence in the RAN of Podemos ministers in that the matters that are going to be dealt with are from PSOE portfolios

MADRID, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Minister of Finance and Public Function, María Jesús Montero, has assured that Spain defends with "absolute emphaticity" that Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish territory, so she does not believe it is necessary for Morocco to have to recognize it. Having said this, she has clarified that this issue will not be discussed at the High Level Meeting (RAN) that both neighboring countries are holding this Thursday in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Montero has indicated that it is a historical issue between the two countries for decades and that the positions have not changed. However, and in an interview with Telecinco, collected by Europa Press, he stressed that there have been "very important advances".

"But we do not need this to be recognized by Morocco to affirm with absolute categoricalness that Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish territory," said the PSOE deputy general secretary when asked if Rabat would have to give something in return to Spain after that the Government of Pedro Sánchez has recognized the Moroccan postulates on the autonomy of Western Sahara.

And he has indicated that Spain and Morocco have made progress in bilateral agreements and in relationship treaties. Thus, he has ensured that the fact that there are borders in Ceuta and Melilla "is a recognition of this situation, which is not part of the summit."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on the aspiration that the other country recognizes it, like all previous executives throughout the entire democracy," Montero has abounded.

The minister pointed out that for Spain and Morocco, as the border between southern Europe and northern Africa, "it would be good and convenient to implement all the mechanisms that exist at other border posts to allow the passage of goods or movement of people are subject to the same controls".

And regarding the absence of Podemos ministers at the summit, Montero has expressed that "political significance" should not be given to "people who go or do not go", while explaining that the matters that are going to be addressed in the RAN they are the responsibility of the ministries of the socialist sector of the coalition government.

However, he has insisted that Morocco is a "priority country" with which cooperative relations must be established to control migratory pressure and for Spanish interests in Africa.

"A close relationship is good and convenient regardless of the discrepancies in national policies that we may maintain," he concluded.

Montero has described as "usual" that not all the ministers attend the summits and has added that she does not go either because "someone has to stay to attend to any circumstance" that may occur.