Spain deploys gunboats in reply to Moroccan invasion

SPANISH Foreign Minister Ana Palacio yesterday called on Morocco to get the message Madrid is trying to convey by deploying gunboats near a tiny abandoned island invaded by Moroccan soldiers.

She was “calm” and wanted to resolve the incident, she said.

In Copenhagen, the European Union presidency called on Morocco to withdraw its troops from Perejil island “immediately”.

The EU statement, issued by Denmark, the current holder of the union presidency, expressed its “full solidarity” with Spain and said it was “very concerned” about the situation.

Ms Palacio said in the interview with Spanish daily El Mundo: “Spain has done what it had to do. Now we’ll see what happens ...

“There is a language here of symbols that we all understand,” such as the dispatch of military vessels, she said, adding that the incident could be resolved “reasonably”.

She reminded the Moroccan Government that 250,000 of its citizens lived in Spain and that the two countries have maintained a Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation since 1991.

Twelve Moroccan troops landed on the island Thursday and raised national flags.

On Saturday, Spain sent three war vessels to patrol the waters off its North African coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

One frigate arrived in Ceuta and two corvettes arrived in the Spanish enclave of Melilla, according to the Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo.

Another corvette and a submarine were on their way to the area, news reports said. Meanwhile, the Moroccan Prime Minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who was in Rome, pledged yesterday to work towards finding a rapid solution to “avoid making the conflict more dramatic,” according to news reports.

The island of Perejil lies several hundred yards from Morocco’s coast and about three miles from the Ceuta enclave.

The island, which is just half a mile in diameter, has belonged to Spain since 1668, but is claimed by Morocco.

There has been no Spanish presence on the island for the last 40 years.

The incursion came on Friday as Morocco began several days of celebrations for King Mohamed VI’s wedding.

The ceremony was boycotted by Spain.