The King’s Journey to Ceuta and Melilla has become an operation of high diplomatic precision. Moncloa is already working to measure to the millimeter the details of a visit full of symbolism and with a fundamental objective: that Felipe VI’s gesture of support for the two autonomous cities does not provoke an open confrontation with Morocco in one of the most tense moments in relations between both countries.
Sources familiar with the trip preparations explain to this newspaper that the Executive wants take extreme precautions to avoid any element that Rabat may interpret as a provocation. The composition of the delegation will be one of them. These same sources point out that “the most likely thing” is that Pedro Sánchez will not accompany the King and will send “a minister or a secretary of State” in his place, although the final configuration of the trip is not yet finalized.
The Government avoids anticipating events. Official sources from the Executive assure that they do not want to anticipate any details about the visit or who will accompany the head of State. Although they do rule out that the displacement is going to deteriorate bilateral relations. “Surely not”they respond when asked about that possibility. «It is Spanish territory. There doesn’t have to be any problems,” they add.
The caution contrasts with the speed with which Sánchez has been publicly anticipating the King’s movements in recent days. The president opened the debate on Monday when he assured that there were “sufficient arguments and reasons” for Felipe VI to “finally” visit Ceuta and Melilla. Sánchez went so far as to affirm that this was what he had shared with the head of state and “what is going to be done”, although he initially conditioned the displacement on the right circumstances being met. It should be noted that Morocco holds legislative elections on September 23. Those words from the Chief Executive immediately caused noise between Moncloa and Zarzuela.
The Government later had to deny that it had reproached the King for not having previously traveled to the autonomous cities and assured that Relations with the Royal House were “good.”
Sánchez took another step again on Thursday. This time from the tribune of Congress and even setting a time horizon. After remembering that almost 20 years had passed since the last visit by a head of state, he announced that Felipe VI would travel to Ceuta and Melilla “in the coming weeks” to convey “the absolute commitment of the State” to both cities.
La Zarzuela remains silent when expressly asked If the King’s House agreed with the Moncloa that Sánchez would make public that term. It doesn’t answer the question. Other published information maintains that the Royal Family would have been previously informed that the president would announce the visit, although the trip continues without a fixed date or a definitive organization.
That nuance is relevant after several days of cross-versions. The visit has become an extraordinarily sensitive matter because the King has not officially traveled to Ceuta or Melilla since his proclamation in 2014 and because any movement of the Crown in the two cities is closely watched by Morocco. The Government felt bad that the King’s desire to travel to the two autonomous cities was spread from Casa Real, because they understand that it placed “unnecessary” pressure on the president, who ended up returning it.
The migration crisis has added even more fuel. Rabat maintains its territorial claims over both cities and the massive entry on July 30 and 31 has tested bilateral relations like never before since the invasion of the Perejil islet. The Government avoids holding the Moroccan authorities directly responsible for organizing that operation while the police investigation has described an action by its security forces that was, at the very least, permissive.
Felipe VI will travel to the two cities to send an institutional message of support. But Moncloa intends that this message does not become a diplomatic escalation at the same time. “The King’s trip could be crucial to lift Morocco,” warns a high-ranking state security source. The last visit of a King to Ceuta and Melilla took place on November 5 and 6, 2007.
Juan Carlos I conveyed to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero his desire to make that trip before ending his reign and the Government ended up giving political cover to the displacement. The operation was prepared with enormous discretion and was only announced five days before. The then Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, personally informed his Moroccan counterpart before Madrid gave the green light to the announcement of the visit.
But Juan Carlos I and Sofía traveled to Ceuta and Melilla without the President of the Government. Although they were accompanied by the then Minister of Public Administrations, Elena Salgado. Rabat described the trip as an “unacceptable provocation”, called its ambassador in Madrid for consultations and suspended some high-level bilateral meetings.
That visit was designed to limit confrontation: Juan Carlos I’s speeches avoided reflecting on the Spanishness of the cities because his presence already sent that message. Almost two decades later, history threatens to repeat itself in a much more delicate context.
Felipe VI will arrive in Ceuta and Melilla after the biggest border crisis suffered by Spain in its history, in the midst of a debate about the role played by Morocco and after members of the Alawite Government have once again questioned Spanish sovereignty over the two cities. All of Spain will be waiting for that trip.