2007 Morocco–Spain diplomatic conflict

According to a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, "The official announcement on Friday of the unfortunate visit of His Majesty King Juan Carlos I, on 5 and 6 November to the two occupied cities of Ceuta and Melilla is a regrettable initiative, whatever are the motives and objectives.

In this regard, the Prime Minister of Morocco, Abbas El Fassi, compared the situation in both cities with the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories and King Mohammed VI himself described the visit as an "outdated and nostalgic act of a dark era.

The most immediate antecedent of the stay of King Juan Carlos I in these cities dates back to 1970, when he undertook a visit to Ceuta in his capacity as Prince of Asturias on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Spanish Legion.

The last visit of a Head of State of Spain to Ceuta and Melilla was by king Alfonso XIII, who was last seen in 1927, and President of the Second Republic, Niceto Alcala Zamora, on 4 November 1933.

[13] As stated by Yassine Mansouri, Foreign Secret Service Chief of Morocco, during a stay in Mallorca, the deterioration of relations is also related to the active position of the Spanish Government and local authorities to untie Muslim believers of Ceuta and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Morocco; and to bet on movements like the Tablig (Congregation for the Propagation of Islam) or the Muslim Brotherhood.

For his part, Laarbi Maateis denied any involvement with fundamentalist movements, indicating that no member of Tablig had ever been arrested or identified as a suspect in connection with jihadism.

"[14][15] The Prime Minister of Morocco, Abbas El Fassi, reported the Moroccan parliament that his government would not spare efforts to regain the two cities (Ceuta and Melilla).

[...] Given this act was to overcome a nostalgic and dark era, the Spanish authorities must assume their responsibility for the consequences that could jeopardize the future and the development of relations between both countries.

"[16] However, on 16 November, the Government of Morocco suspended two high-level visits of Spanish authorities:that of the Minister of Public Works, Magdalena Álvarez, who had planned to deal with the Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Transport Karim Ghellab about the Gibraltar rail tunnel to link the two countries across the strait (an issue on which both are officially working since 2005 when Tangier was treated evolving the fixed links between Europe and Africa and Chief of Staff of the Army of Spain, Admiral Sebastian Zaragoza.

[1] Gustavo de Arístegui, of the People Party, termed Mohamed VI's reaction as "excessive" and criticized the Spanish Prime Minister for failing to make clear, in his view, the 'red lines' that Morocco could not cross.

[18] Meanwhile, Elena Valenciano, International Relations Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, stressed that the visit was part of "the most absolute institutional normality.