Spain pushes Morocco off disputed Island

Minutes after the pre-dawn raid, Spain’s yellow and red national colours could be sighted flying over the rocky outcrop of Perejil – or Parsley – Island.

On Wednesday, Spanish forces ousted Moroccan troops from the island, which Morocco calls Leila Island and describes as "an integral part of Moroccan territory." However, the islet is under Spanish rule.

Last week, a Moroccan patrol boat was spotted near the Chafarinas, three islands which lie east of the Spanish mainland enclave of Melilla and have been under Madrid’s control since 1847.

Spain reacted by sending gunboats, attack helicopters and soldiers to the nearby Spanish enclave of Ceuta, from where Spain had been keeping a wary eye on the area.

Five days later, Spain decided to pounce.

"This morning the government was forced to order Moroccan forces to abandon the position they had established on the island of Perejil", the Spanish government said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The operation was successful and no one was killed or injured".

Most serious incident

The dispatching of Moroccan troops to the uninhabited Isla del Perejil, or "Parsley" Island is regarded by Spain as the most serious diplomatic incident since the Moroccan army’s march into the Western Sahara – a former Spanish colony – in 1975.

According to Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s deputy Prime Minister, Perejil has been claimed by both countries. However, both had made a "tacit agreement" to leave the rocky island uninhabited.

But Morocco says the stony outcrop has belonged to the country since it gained independence in 1956.

Morocco justified last week’s occupation of the island by saying there was increasing drug trafficking taking place in the area.

Locals say the island is used as a drop-off point by drug runners, and both Spanish and Moroccan police have been chasing suspected criminals there.

Morocco-EU relations

The spat follows months of deteriorating relations between Spain and Morocco, soured by a seemingly unstoppable flow of illegal immigrants, quarrels over fishing rights, criticism of the young Moroccan king in the Spanish press and bickering over the status of the Western Sahara.

Morocco reacted to the operation, which has widened the rift considerably, with indignation.

"Confronted with this aggression, the Moroccan Kingdom demands, before anything else, the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Spanish armed forces from Leila island, which is an integral part of Moroccan territory", the Moroccan foreign minister said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the EU failed to endorse the operation and distanced itself from previous statements in which it had sharply criticised Morocco.

"The Commission is concerned about events on Perejil island. It is now time to return to the status quo ante and to resume dialogue between Spain and Morocco", European Commission President Romano Prodi said in a statement.

Morocco is said to have, of all the North African states, the best relations with Brussels. Jonathan Faull, Commission spokesman said the longer the dispute continued, "the more damaging this will be for relations between the European Union and Morocco".

But Commission officials also revealed that no sanctions were being considered yet and repeated their calls for a diplomatic solution.

Spain said on Wednesday it aimed to patch up relations with Morocco and that it had informed the United Nations Security Council and its international allies of the development.