Madrid, 13 July 2025 (SPS) - Former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar revealed that France exerted "direct pressure" on him to push Spain into making territorial concessions in favor of Morocco, including Ceuta, Melilla, and the island of Tura (Perejil), and to change Spain's stance on the Western Sahara issue.
These statements appeared in the new documentary by the Spanish platform "Movistar Plus," titled "Perejil," which reviews the July 2002 crisis when Morocco occupied the island of Tura (Perejil), to which Spain responded with a limited military operation called "Romeo Sierra" to reclaim the island.
Aznar stated, according to the newspaper "El País," that "France attempted to impose a solution that serves Rabat," adding, "I was asked to change my position on the Western Sahara issue and to hand over Ceuta and Melilla."
The former Spanish Prime Minister emphasized that he "categorically rejected this," noting that "France obstructed EU support for Spain during the crisis." He also added that this incident confirms "France's historical complicity with Morocco's expansionist ambitions."
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