(Washington Insider Magazine) – The high EU representative for foreign affairs is leaving for Rabat and Fez, where he will meet the head of the Moroccan government and hold a speech at the University of Fez. On the accusations to the Mediterranean partner regarding Qatargate, the commission “will act accordingly when he has the rehearsals and verdicts”.
Brussels – Tempism not of the best, the one chosen by the high representative from EU for foreign affairs and the security policy, Josep Borrell, to make an official visit of two days in Morocco, a country involved in the scandal of alleged corruption that is upsetting Parliament European. Tomorrow (January 5) Borrell will meet the head of government in Rabat, Aziz Akhanouch, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African cooperation and Moroccan expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and a delegation of institutional interlocutors of Moroccan society and economic actors. The following day the high representative will hold a speech to professors and students of the Euro -Mediterranean University of Fez.
Visit of Morocco
“The visit to Morocco has been planned for some time, there are themes that we must discuss,” said the spokesman for the European service for external action, Peter Stano, trying to turn off the controversies for the choice of the EU Commission of Do not wait for the conclusions of the investigations of the Belgian judiciary before meeting the Mediterranean partner. “Let’s not forget that there are accusations, but not yet evidence and conclusions”, recalled State by reporting the position of the commission, according to which “it cannot be judged only based on the accusations”.
There are no reasons, for the community executive, to erase a visit that will be an opportunity for an in-depth analysis of the implementation of the EU-Maroco partnership, also in the perspective of the new Mediterranean agenda. “Morocco is a very important partner, we want to improve cooperation in sectors of mutual interest, but also to raise concerns on our part and them,” Peter Stano confirmed. Regional and international issues of common interest and of particular importance in the difficult global context, conditioned by the Russian war against Ukraine.
For the moment, Qatargate can therefore wait, despite the request of the investigating judge Michel Claise to revoke parliamentary immunity to the Eurodepieputato Andrea Cozzolino, president of the delegation for relations with the Magreb: “We have total confidence in the work of the Belgian judiciary e When we have the verdicts and rehearsals, we will act accordingly, “concluded the spokesman for the high representative. Borrell who, in confirmation of the policy of the community executive, on 20 December last, had already met the foreign minister of Qatar in Jordan.
This article is originally published on eunews.it.