Zapatero to visit Morocco

Spanish Prime Minister Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is flying to Morocco on Friday where he will hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart Abbas El Fassi and also have a meeting with King Mohammed VI.

Discussions are to centre on trade and migration.

Bad timing? ... The visit is scheduled on the sixth anniversary of the 2002 crisis that erupted between Spain and Morocco over the small, uninhabited island 250 meters off the Moroccan Mediterranean shores, known as Perejil by the Spanish and Leila in Morocco.

The crisis broke out when Spain sent troops to remove a handful of Moroccan soldiers who had moved to the island.

The Moroccan government said that they set foot on the island in order to monitor illegal immigration, which was denied by the Spanish government since there had been little co-operation in the matter by that time (a repeated source of complaint from Spain).

After protests from the Spanish government, led by José María Aznar, the soldiers were replaced by Moroccan navy cadets who then installed a fixed base on the island.

This further angered the Spanish government and both countries restated their claims to the islet. Spain's objections were fully supported by almost all European Union member states, with the exception of a rather cold shoulder from France and Portugal (whose government issued a statement regretting the incident).

Morocco's claims had official support from the Arab League, except for Algeria.

Algeria took that occasion to insist on Algerian recognition of Spanish sovereignty over the exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

This exception should be placed in the context of historical geopolitical tension between Morocco and Algeria, combined with the fact that Spain is currently Algeria's third biggest trading partner (mostly based on the natural gas trade).

On the morning of July 18, 2002 Spain launched Operation Romeo-Sierra, a military attempt to take over the island. The operation was successful and the Moroccan navy cadets were dislodged from the island in a matter of hours without offering any resistance to the Spanish commando attack force, Grupo de Operaciones Especiales III.

The operation was launched in conjunction with the Spanish Navy and Spanish Air Force. The captured Moroccans were transferred by helicopter to the headquarters of the Guardia Civil in Ceuta, from where they were transported to the Moroccan border.

Over the course of the same day the Spanish commandos were replaced on the island by members of the Spanish Legion, who remained on the island until Morocco, after mediation by the United States, led by Colin Powell, agreed to return to the status quo ante which existed prior to the Moroccan occupation of the island. The islet is now deserted except for goats.

Morocco had demanded the "return" of the Spanish cities Ceuta and Melilla along with several small rocks and islets off the coast of Morocco.

The crisis over Isla Perejil was seen by the Spanish government as a way for Morocco to test the waters in regard to Spain's will to defend Ceuta and Melilla.

The swift and overwhelming use of force to retake this strategically unimportant and uninhabited islet demonstrated Spain's desire to retain both.

Both Spain and Morocco claim the islet, thus, its sovereignty remains unclear.

Spanish Village Cashes In, Bringing Back Peseta

In Salvaterra, on the border between Spain and Portugal, the peseta has been resurrected. For a limited period only, restaurants, taxi drivers, pharmacies and about 50 other businesses have been accepting payments in the old Spanish currency.

Spanish Stubs Out Cigarettes

Smokers stubbed out their cigarettes in tapas bars and restaurants across Spain as one of Europe's strictest anti-tobacco laws came into force on Sunday. After a one-day amnesty granted for New Year's Day, the new law banning smoking in all bars, restaurants and public places took effect at the stroke of midnight Saturday.

Man Rescued On Madrid Railway Tracks

A man who fell onto a railway line in Madrid was saved from serious injury or possible death by an off-duty policeman. [No sound]

Spain Flights Resume Following Controller Strike

Spain placed striking air traffic controllers under military authority and threatened them with jail terms in an unprecedented emergency order to get planes back in the skies and clear chaotic airports clogged with irate travelers.

Al-Qaeda Arrests In Spain

Police have arrested at least seven people in Spain after a raid on a group suspected of forging passports for an al-Qaeda-linked Islamic terrorist group.

Spain's Interior Ministry provided no other details, but the country's leading Cadena SER radio says the detainees formed part of a group based in Thailand and linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai, India, attacks that killed 166 people.

The arrests took place late Tuesday and early Wednesday in the northeastern city of Barcelona and in the surrounding region of Catalonia.

SER and other Spanish media say the arrested are mostly Pakistanis who stole passports that were later doctored and sent to Thailand for distribution to groups linked to al-Qaeda.

Spain To Privatise Barcelona & Madrid Airports

The Spanish government plans to privatise the country's top two airports, as part of a series of measures seeking to jumpstart anaemic economic growth.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told legislators in Parliament that Madrid's Barajas and Barcelona's El Prat airports will be run by private operators under a licensing, or concession system. Both airports have been recently remodeled and expanded to absorb increased passenger traffic in coming years.

The country's airport operator AENA will also sell a 49% stake to private operators, above initial plans to sell a 30% stake.

The government is also planning to sell 30% of Spain's state-owned lottery company, Zapatero added.

Ready, Set, Snooze! Spain Holds Siesta Contest

A sleepy Spain is holding a siesta contest to promote the traditional nap that's endangered by the hectic modern lifestyle.

General Strike In Spain, But Impact May Be Limited

A first in eight years, about 10 million workers went on a general strike in Spain on Wednesday according to unions, to protest against the socialist government's tough labour reforms and spending cuts. But despite the movement causing transport chaos and clashes across the country, Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero has vowed there will be no reversal of the labour reforms, which make it easier to hire and fire workers and which received final approval from parliament on September 9.

Spain Rejects Basque Truce Offer

The Spanish government has rejected a ceasefire announcement by the Basque militant group ETA. Madrid ruled out talks on Basque independence and said police would continue their crackdown on the group.

ETA Declares Ceasefire In Struggle With Spain

Basque separatist group ETA declared a ceasefire Sunday in its bloody 42-year campaign for a homeland independent of Spain, vowing to give up guns and bombs to seek a democratic solution. [An extract from the ETA announcement]

Spanish Food Fight Festival

Thousands of people descended on the Spanish town of Bunol on Wednesday to take part in the Tomatina festival.

Spanish Aid Workers Freed By Al-Qaeda Return Home

Two Spanish aid workers freed by Al-Qaeda's North African offshoot returned home after nine months in captivity following the reported payment of a ransom of millions of euros.

Bullfighting Protesters Strip Down

More than 100 semi-naked protesters lay down in the shape of a dying bull Saturday outside one of Spain's most iconic buildings the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao to demand an end to bullfighting in the Basque Region.

Flotilla of Stinging Jellyfish Hit Spanish Beach

A vast flotilla of small, virtually undetectable jellyfish stung hundreds of people along Spanish beaches this week, the kind of swimmer's nightmare that biologists say will be increasingly common because of climate change.
Elche is just south of Alicante.

Michelle Obama Meets Spain's King

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha had lunch with Spain's King and Queen on Sunday at the royal family's holiday retreat on the resort island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean.

Spain's Catalonia Region Bans Bullfighting

Catalonia's parliament on Wednesday voted to ban bullfighting from January 1, 2012, becoming the first region in mainland Spain to outlaw the centuries-old tradition.

Spain's 'Low Cost' Prostitutes

Dozens of prostitutes for less than a hundred euros a trick, and apparently within the law: that's what many brothels here have on offer, just six kilometres over the border from France, in the Pyrenees. The place is making a name for itself among the French a popularity that local authorities could have done without.

Nine Injured in Running of the Bulls

Nine thrill-seeking runners were injured, three by goring, in a dangerous last running of the bulls at Spain's San Fermin festival, officials said Wednesday. It was the bloodiest run of this years festival.

Running Of The Bulls

At least three people ended up in the hospital with minor injuries after Tuesday's running of the bulls, the second-to-last running in this year's San Fermin festival in Pamplona.

Contact Us

Site Statistics