This house believes Spain should cede Ceuta and Melilla to Morocco

The dispute over the two cities only serves to harm co-operation between Morocco and Spain. Bilateral disagreements have prevented the resolution of other issues and generally heightened diplomatic tensions between these geographically close countries. When the Prime Minister and King of Spain both visited Morocco to resolve the Perejal crisis and Western Sahara issues, relations periodically improved. However a subsequent visit by the PM and King to Ceuta and Melilla in 2006 and 2007 reversed the progress made due to Moroccan outrage¹. If Spain ceded these cities to Morocco then relations would improve, which could lead to increased co-operation on other issues.

1) Arieff,A. ‘Morocco: Current Issues’ 30 June 2011

The disagreements between Morocco and Spain over Ceuta and Melilla have had minimal impact on diplomacy between the two countries, which generally remains positive. Co-operation on counter-terrorism, counternarcotics and illegal immigration all continue to progress in a productive manner¹. Joint operations between the two countries’ military forces continue on the strait of Gibraltar and a joint police panel has been proposed², implying relations are still constructive.

1) Arieff,A. ‘Morocco: Current Issues’ 30 June 2011

2) Benmehdi,H. ‘Morocco, Spain partner against terrorism’ 

The Spanish possession of Ceuta and Melilla has resulted in an influx of illegal immigrants. Due to their positioning and membership to the EU, the two cities are subject to numerous attempts by immigrants to gain access to Europe¹. In Melilla this has resulted in a social experiment with dire implications. To discourage illegal immigration, non-Moroccans who illicitly gain access to the country will not be permitted to move on from the city. They are trapped in Melilla without legal rights and generally live in extremely poor conditions with no means of legal work². If the Spanish relinquished control of the two cities then these then there would be no permeable land border for illegal immigrants to gain access to.

1) Ribas,X.  ‘The Border Fences of Cueta and Melilla. A Landscape for the Future’

2) Davies,N. ‘Melilla: Europe’s dirty secret’, The Guardian, 17 April 2010

If Ceuta and Melilla were to be given to Morocco, then immigration would not halt. The higher standard of living in Spain would still attract immigrants who would face greater perils than restriction of movement and employment. Irregular migrants and refugees already attempt to travel from Morocco to Italy and Malta (the strait of Gibraltar is too well guarded)¹ and numbers would only increase if the land route were dismantled. Hundreds of irregular migrants will hide on inadequate boats trying to reach Europe and thousands die every year in the attempt². One boat which sunk off the Italian island of Lampedusa resulting in more than 300 deaths3. Despite these risks, high risk migration continues which that immigration numbers would continue even without a land border.

1)      Peters,K. ‘Ceuta and Melilla: Europe’s High-Tech African Fortress’, 10 August 2011

2)      Herman,M. ‘From Africa to Europe: A Surprisingly Dangerous Journey for Migrants’, 3 December 2013

3)      BBC, ‘Italy to hold state funeral for shipwreck migrants’, 9 October 2013

Spain refusing to cede Cueta and Melilla to Morocco is inconsistent with its policy towards Gibraltar. Whilst the Spanish refuse to cede their two cities to Morocco, they expect the British to return the circumstantially similar Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British overseas territory which is located in southern Spain, taken from the Spanish by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704. Spain asserts a claim to this territory as it was once part of its own lands, despite signing the Treaty of Utrecht and relinquishing the land ‘in perpetuity’¹. The claim that a state should return exclaves which rightfully belong to the nation which originally owned them is therefore inconsistent with their policy towards Ceuta and Melilla². If Spain expects to reclaim Gibraltar then they should also expect to relinquish control over Cueta and Melilla.

1)      ‘Treaty of Utrecht’ April 1713

2)      Tremlett,G. ‘A rocky relationship’ 14 January 2014

Spain claims that there is a difference between Gibraltar and its own territories. While Gibraltar is an overseas territory, otherwise known as a colony, Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain and maintain the same semi-autonomous status which other regions in Spain have¹.  The United Nations maintains a similar view, recognising Gibraltar as an ‘overseas territory’ which is reviewed annually by the Committee on Decolonisation².

1) Govan,F. ‘The battle over Ceuta, Spain’s African Gibraltar’ 10 August 2013

2) United Nations General Assembly, ‘2231 (XXI) Question of Gibraltar’, 20 December 1966

The dispute over the two cities only serves to harm co-operation between Morocco and Spain. Bilateral disagreements have prevented the resolution of other issues and generally heightened diplomatic tensions between these geographically close countries. When the Prime Minister and King of Spain both visited Morocco to resolve the Perejal crisis and Western Sahara issues, relations periodically improved. However a subsequent visit by the PM and King to Ceuta and Melilla in 2006 and 2007 reversed the progress made due to Moroccan outrage¹. If Spain ceded these cities to Morocco then relations would improve, which could lead to increased co-operation on other issues.

1) Arieff,A. ‘Morocco: Current Issues’ 30 June 2011

The disagreements between Morocco and Spain over Ceuta and Melilla have had minimal impact on diplomacy between the two countries, which generally remains positive. Co-operation on counter-terrorism, counternarcotics and illegal immigration all continue to progress in a productive manner¹. Joint operations between the two countries’ military forces continue on the strait of Gibraltar and a joint police panel has been proposed², implying relations are still constructive.

1) Arieff,A. ‘Morocco: Current Issues’ 30 June 2011

2) Benmehdi,H. ‘Morocco, Spain partner against terrorism’ 

The Spanish possession of Ceuta and Melilla has resulted in an influx of illegal immigrants. Due to their positioning and membership to the EU, the two cities are subject to numerous attempts by immigrants to gain access to Europe¹. In Melilla this has resulted in a social experiment with dire implications. To discourage illegal immigration, non-Moroccans who illicitly gain access to the country will not be permitted to move on from the city. They are trapped in Melilla without legal rights and generally live in extremely poor conditions with no means of legal work². If the Spanish relinquished control of the two cities then these then there would be no permeable land border for illegal immigrants to gain access to.

1) Ribas,X.  ‘The Border Fences of Cueta and Melilla. A Landscape for the Future’

2) Davies,N. ‘Melilla: Europe’s dirty secret’, The Guardian, 17 April 2010

If Ceuta and Melilla were to be given to Morocco, then immigration would not halt. The higher standard of living in Spain would still attract immigrants who would face greater perils than restriction of movement and employment. Irregular migrants and refugees already attempt to travel from Morocco to Italy and Malta (the strait of Gibraltar is too well guarded)¹ and numbers would only increase if the land route were dismantled. Hundreds of irregular migrants will hide on inadequate boats trying to reach Europe and thousands die every year in the attempt². One boat which sunk off the Italian island of Lampedusa resulting in more than 300 deaths3. Despite these risks, high risk migration continues which that immigration numbers would continue even without a land border.

1)      Peters,K. ‘Ceuta and Melilla: Europe’s High-Tech African Fortress’, 10 August 2011

2)      Herman,M. ‘From Africa to Europe: A Surprisingly Dangerous Journey for Migrants’, 3 December 2013

3)      BBC, ‘Italy to hold state funeral for shipwreck migrants’, 9 October 2013

Spain refusing to cede Cueta and Melilla to Morocco is inconsistent with its policy towards Gibraltar. Whilst the Spanish refuse to cede their two cities to Morocco, they expect the British to return the circumstantially similar Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British overseas territory which is located in southern Spain, taken from the Spanish by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704. Spain asserts a claim to this territory as it was once part of its own lands, despite signing the Treaty of Utrecht and relinquishing the land ‘in perpetuity’¹. The claim that a state should return exclaves which rightfully belong to the nation which originally owned them is therefore inconsistent with their policy towards Ceuta and Melilla². If Spain expects to reclaim Gibraltar then they should also expect to relinquish control over Cueta and Melilla.

1)      ‘Treaty of Utrecht’ April 1713

2)      Tremlett,G. ‘A rocky relationship’ 14 January 2014

Spain claims that there is a difference between Gibraltar and its own territories. While Gibraltar is an overseas territory, otherwise known as a colony, Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain and maintain the same semi-autonomous status which other regions in Spain have¹.  The United Nations maintains a similar view, recognising Gibraltar as an ‘overseas territory’ which is reviewed annually by the Committee on Decolonisation².

1) Govan,F. ‘The battle over Ceuta, Spain’s African Gibraltar’ 10 August 2013

2) United Nations General Assembly, ‘2231 (XXI) Question of Gibraltar’, 20 December 1966

Many of those living in Ceuta and Melilla do not want to join Morocco, to cede them would be unjust. Walzer, in his book Just and Unjust Wars, claims that the only people who should decide who has sovereignty over a territory are the population of said land¹. If the people associate themselves with Spain, then it is only right that Spain continues to rule over them. This is the case with Ceuta and Mellia, where there is a nearly universal feeling of belonging to Spain². Morocco and Spain should therefore respect the wishes of the population.

1) Walzer,M. ‘Just and Unjust wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations'

2) Govan,F. ‘The battle over Ceuta, Spain’s African Gibraltar’

The wishes of a population are often overlooked by governments when deciding upon territorial sovereignty. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1 the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine were ceded to the German alliance. The majority of citizens were French, or preferred French to Prussian leadership¹. This factor was disregarded however, as it usually is in the redrawing of boundaries. Morocco does not appear to have addressed this argument as they do not deem it relevant against their territorial interests. 

Spain has also been hypocritical by its claim to respect the people’s decision on sovereignty, particularly while observing the situation in Catalonia. As of early 2014, the Spanish government has stated it will not allow any form of referendum concerning the independence of the Eastern Spanish state, despite the population’s wishes².

1) Wikipedia, ‘Alsace-Lorraine’, date accessed 21 January 2014

2) Vilaweb, ‘The Spanish Government “will not allow” and “will not negotiate” on Catalonia’s self-determination vote’, 13 December 2013

Ceuta and Melilla are economic assets to Spain; it is in Spain’s interest to maintain them. Spain was particularly damaged by the 2008 economic recession which left many of the richest countries in decline¹. With no sign of rapid recovery in the near future, it is within Spain’s interests to hold on to two cities which have strong economies². The ports of Cueta and Melilla are of particular importance as they provided a large portion of the cities’ income, catering to many luxurious boats. The low tax zones also encourage a lot of financial activity³. Spain’s economic position therefore dictates that they should not cede them.

1)      Cala,A. ‘Why is Morocco Picking a Fight with Spain?’ 15 August 2010

2)      Sotogrande, ‘Ceuta and Melilla’, data accessed 20 January 2014

Ibid

The financial future of the two cities is uncertain. It has cost copious sums of money to protect the border against immigrants who travel from as far as India to reach EU territory. In 2011, €30 million was spent on fortifying the border fences of Ceuta and Melilla¹. Not only was this a financial burden, but it served to worsen relations with Morocco who temporarily halted trade with the cities in 2010, leaving Melilla’s market stalls empty.

The development of the Moroccan ‘super-port’, known as the Tanger Med project also financially threatens the ports if Ceuta and Melilla². Built on the straits of Gibraltar, it is designed to intercept shipping traffic which would usually go to Ceuta and Melilla.

1) Peters,K. ‘Ceuta and Melilla: Europe’s High-Tech African Fortress’, 10 August 2011

2) Arieff,A. ‘Morocco: Current Issues’, Congressional Research Service, 30 June 2011

The cities of Ceuta and Melilla have been an integral part of Spain’s territory and to cede them would be a compromise of territorial integrity. The two cities have been part of Spain for almost as long as the country has existed. The marriage of Isabelle I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon united two major regions of Spain in 1469. The conquest of Granada finally joined the South of the country with the North in 1492. The capture of Melilla was only five years later, and Ceuta was merged in to the country less than a century afterwards. These cities are an integral part of Spain and should therefore remain Spanish.

1) Snelling,N. ‘The history of Spain, Spain’s unification and elevation to world power’, Culture Spain, data accessed 21 January 2014

While they were not a recognised state in the same sense as Spain is,[1] Berbers have lived in Morocco for thousands of years; making Ceuta and Melilla part of their history as well. The presence of the Berbers in Morocco can be traced back 4,000 years, with today’s Berbers maintaining a similar language and customs¹. Their association with this territory means that many Berbers see these cities as their land and feel they have a stronger claim to it than Spain.

1)  Morris,C. ‘Who are the Morocco Berbers?’, Journey Beyond Travel, data accessed 21 January 2014

[1] This should not be surprising; our current notion of the state is a Western European invention.