Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-16-Speech-2-283"
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"en.20010116.12.2-283"2
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".
Mr President, honourable Members, I am, of course, perfectly willing to start by making the requested statement on fisheries relations between the Union and Morocco. As you probably already know from the media, negotiations on a new form of collaboration in the fisheries sector were started with the Kingdom of Morocco following my visit to Casablanca in October, when the King of Morocco agreed to begin serious negotiations. As a result, a total of six rounds of technical negotiations took place between 30 October and 22 December.
I then met Prime Minister Youssoufi and Fisheries Minister Chbaatou for talks twice at the beginning of January – once for three days and once for two days. I took great pains to ensure that both sides understood the main aspects of future fisheries relations, especially with regard to fishing possibilities, the term of the agreement, technical fishing conditions and, most importantly, financial compensation.
Negotiations were held nearly every day between the first and second political meetings this year, more recently at technical level. We have done a great deal of constructive work and numerous details have been clarified. The Commission has endeavoured throughout the negotiations to date to be as flexible as it feels it can be on Morocco's main demands, especially as regards the extent of fishing possibilities and compulsory landings in Moroccan ports.
We have stated from the start that we are prepared both to take account of Moroccan interests and to support the development of the Moroccan fisheries sector. We have also made clear time and again that we want to protect the Community's social and economic interests and are looking for help in preserving resources. Unfortunately, the Moroccan side suddenly took a very intransigent stance during my second visit on 8 and 9 January, especially on the important questions of fishing possibilities and technical terms, and made excessive demands for financial compensation. I tried to persuade the Moroccan side to reconsider its position, because an agreement was not on the cards on this basis, and I asked them to resume talks as quickly as possible in a bid to reach a final agreement.
We are prepared to pay a fair price for a balanced agreement, but the price must be in proportion to the fishing possibilities granted by Morocco and I have always clearly given the Moroccan side to understand as much. If our Moroccan partners are now prepared to return to the negotiating table and show willing to negotiate, then I am sure that, in the end, we shall broker a solution which is acceptable to both sides.
Finally, I should like to point out that the question of cooperation with Morocco in the fisheries sector was one of the main points on the agenda for President Prodi's visit to Morocco, when both sides took the opportunity of reaffirming their wish to conclude an agreement. It was therefore agreed that we should resume negotiations at a technical level as quickly as possible."@en1
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