By Abdessamad Fatmi
The story of Morocco and Spain is the tale of a difficult old international couple, victim of its cultural differences, turbulent mutual pasts, lingering prejudices, strong personalities, diverging careers, yet with a promising and fertile potential. Moroccan-Spanish relations are indeed complex, unpredictable, and wide-ranging. History, culture, society, geography, economy, politics and strategy are all issues that matter to this couple. It is a relationship that exhibits a number of contradictory aspects. Each of the two countries considers the other a close and strategic partner, relationships between the two kings are cordial, government relations are given priority with high level summits and priority foreign visits, economic relations are increasing, and the number of Moroccan immigrants living in Spain (at over 700 000) is at its highest ever… Yet, the bilateral relationship keeps producing awkward spasms and crises that conjure up demons from the past and reveal the enduring mutual clichés, misunderstandings, mistrust, internal pressures and diverging interests. Continue reading Spanish-Moroccan relations: Is the honeymoon over?
