SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 7 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The spokesman for the Government of the Canary Islands, Julio Pérez, confirmed this Thursday that the president of the regional government, Ángel Víctor Torres, is preparing an upcoming trip to Morocco to analyze relations between the North African country and the archipelago, thus resuming the option that was aborted in fall 2020.
At the press conference to give an account of the agreements adopted by the Governing Council, he commented that the president “wishes to make that trip” that could not be carried out due to a “succession of events” but he is clear that the appointment has to take place as he has happened with all the presidents of the islands.
Pérez believes that it is still “premature” to set the dates, agenda and contents of the proposals, but he has assured that the positions of the Canary Islands “have not changed” and “it is interesting to know” especially what the relationship between Spain and Morocco is like, which increases the control of illegal migratory flows or find out the situation of Canarian companies operating in the country.
Regarding the meeting between President Pedro Sánchez and the King of Morocco, Mohamed VI, he said that “we have to wait” in order to “receive explanations” later, but he stressed that from a “better relationship” one can only “expect benefits” in matters such as territorial waters, the control of irregular immigration and repatriation flights, which after two years of blockade, “have begun to take place”.
He has commented that irregular migration proceeds along most of the Moroccan coast despite the fact that many “are sub-Saharan”, since it is the closest coast although it is also the most dangerous route.
Thus, he pointed out that if there is a “more effective” control at origin, the “anguish” due to travel and possible deaths “will be less”.
Until now, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, up to 40% of the departures in Morocco, Senegal and Mauritania have been aborted and from the Executive they hope that “cooperation will be greater”.
Regarding the Executive’s position on Western Sahara, he has defended that it is about reaching a solution assumed by the two parties and within the framework of the UN and despite the differences with NC and Sí Podemos, government partners, “they have not disapproved.”
However, he stressed that “the discrepancies are known”, especially as a result of the last ‘Debate on the State of Nationality’ in which the four parties of the ‘Pacto de las Flores’ supported different resolution proposals.
