Spain’s King Felipe VI said on Tuesday that Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa were “an integral part” of Spain and that its sovereignty and territorial integrity “are not up for negotiation”, during a historic visit to the two cities claimed by Morocco.
The Spanish monarch also stressed the importance of maintaining good neighbourly relations with Morocco, amid tensions between the two countries following a large influx of migrants into Ceuta last July.
The visit marks the first time a Spanish king has travelled to the two cities since Felipe VI’s father, Juan Carlos, visited them in 2007, triggering a diplomatic crisis with Rabat.
Speaking during his visit to Ceuta alongside his wife, Queen Letizia, Felipe VI said the two cities were part of Spain’s political and national identity. He added that Spain and the European Union had a responsibility to maintain good neighbourly relations with Morocco.
The visit comes less than seven weeks before early elections scheduled for 29th November, with immigration expected to feature prominently in the campaign following the crisis in Ceuta in July.
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