Hassan II allegedly threatened war over Sebta and Melilla, Aznar promised him defeat
Hassan II allegedly stated in 1998 that Morocco was ready to go to war to recover Sebta and Melilla. José María Aznar says he replied that Spain would win such a confrontation.
The exchange reportedly took place in April 1998 in Rabat, during an official visit to Morocco by the head of the Spanish government.
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José María Aznar gives his version in «Perejil», a documentary series devoted to the crisis over Leïla islet in July 2002.
According to his account, Hassan II allegedly told him that Morocco was ready to declare war on Spain to recover Sebta and Melilla.
Aznar says he immediately rejected any discussion of the sovereignty of the two cities, reports The Objective.
“We would win this war”
The former Spanish leader says he replied that he hoped two friendly countries would never come to a military confrontation. He allegedly added, however, that if this war broke out, Spain would win it.
Four years later, the two countries found themselves on the brink of confrontation after the installation of Moroccan gendarmes on Leïla islet. On 17 July 2002, the Spanish army retook the territory without an exchange of fire.
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For Aznar, this crisis did not concern merely a small uninhabited islet. It already pointed to the much more sensitive issue of Sebta and Melilla, which Morocco claims.
