The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, assured that Morocco is a "strategic ally" with which Spain maintains "a very positive relationship".
The Moroccan authorities have decided to clean up the embassy in Madrid. Ambassador Karima Benyaich’s team has been affected by this major housecleaning.
The head of the Spanish Executive, Pedro Sanchez, has been negotiating since last summer a meeting with King Mohammed VI to smooth out the edges and restore diplomatic relations. But for the moment, the initiative is struggling to materialize.
The Vox party believes that Spain cannot maintain good relations with Morocco as long as the kingdom continues to "extort" it and "let it happen".
Zohour Alaoui, Morocco’s ambassador to Germany, recalled in May last year for consultations in Rabat, due to Berlin’s "negative" attitude on the Sahara issue and "an attempt to sideline" the kingdom "from regional meetings on Libya" will soon return to her post in the German capital.
The Philippines embassy in Morocco, which has been closed for 30 years, has reopened. Leslie Baja, the new ambassador of the country, presented his credentials to King Mohammed VI during the ceremony to receive foreign ambassadors by the sovereign on January 17.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Friday that the resumption of relations with Morocco will take the time it needs and that he does not plan to visit Rabat anytime soon.
Morocco remains willing to resume its relations with Spain, provided that the latter clearly expresses its support for the kingdom on the Sahara issue.
The Popular Party (PP) welcomes the remarks made on Monday by King Felipe VI, who expressed Spain’s willingness to "walk together" and "start a new relationship" with Morocco.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said that Spain has not played the role of mediator in the crisis between Algeria and Morocco because neither party has asked it to do so.
The spokesman for Vox in Congress , Iván Espinosa de los Monteros, stressed on Tuesday the need to restore relations with Morocco, provided that the latter respects Spain and does not threaten it.
King Felipe VI has publicly spoken, for the first time, about the serious diplomatic crisis that has been open with Morocco for nearly a year. He is calling for appeasement.