Joseph Borrell On Behalf Of 27 EU Countries, Issues A Statement In Support Of The Partnership With Morocco

Luxembourg, October 15 (TNA) At the close of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union countries held in Luxembourg on Monday, EU High Representative Joseph Borrell made a strong statement on behalf of the 27 member states, expressing their support for and attachment to the “strategic partnership” with Morocco, to which the EU attaches “immense value”.

Borrell stressed that the strategic partnership with Morocco is “long-lasting and far-reaching”, recalling that it has been in existence for over 55 years (since 1969). Through Borrell, the 27 also expressed their commitment to “strengthening” and “preserving” the partnership in all areas. In his statement, Borrell promised that the Partnership would see positive developments in the coming months.

This collective stance in support of Morocco comes in the immediate aftermath of the pressure Algeria attempted to exert over the weekend, by summoning the ambassadors in Algiers of the 12 countries that have expressed, in their national capacity, their support for Morocco in the immediate aftermath of the EU Court rulings. The common European position in support of Morocco thus comes as a stinging response from the EU to Algeria.

The statement by the EU's High Representative confirms the positive trend and strategic nature of the joint declaration by Commission President Von Der Leyen and the High Representative on 04.10. This statement, made on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of the 27 EU member states meeting in Luxembourg, follows on from the positive and unanimous momentum generated by several European member states in the wake of the Court's judgments of 04.10.

Finally, and through these declarations by all member states, the EU is sending a clear political message and responding with a single voice to Algeria's unacceptable attempts to exert pressure and interference on member states, as this is an internal issue for the EU and its partnership with the Kingdom.