Nabil Driouch: "La cooperación entre España y Marruecos en materia antiterrorista es un modelo en la cuenca mediterránea"

Nabil Driouch, writer and specialist in Spanish Moroccan relations and author of the book 'La vecindad cautelosa', has granted an interview to Atalayar in which he has been able to explain how the new international panorama in Spanish-Moroccan relations is presented. He also presented the keys that can emphasise and nurture the new diplomatic era between the two kingdoms.

How did the idea for "La vecindad cautelosa" come about?

In Morocco there are only two or three journalists who are interested in relations with Spain and who write about Spain. Considering the strategic, historical, human and cultural relationship between Morocco and Spain, a Muslim Arab country that represents the Eastern Muslim civilisation and on the other side where Western civilisation begins, we realise that both countries contribute to human history.

Our relations are gigantic in what they represent on a cultural and human level, we are the bridge between the West and the East. In this sense, the ancient world no longer exists, there is only the modern world, and as responsible citizens I wanted to ask what we can do to get out of this tunnel of Moorish/Christian prejudice that comes from our great-grandparents, because it is not ours. 

If the dead still rule, they are the living, and we are the dead. We cannot repeat the same discourses as the journalists of the 20th century. Hence the idea that in the 21st century we must be pragmatic and forget ideological problems.

In the 21st century, there are still many clichés to be cleared up in Moroccan-Spanish relations. To what extent does ignorance condition relations?

I think ignorance is a key word when we talk about Spanish Moroccan relations; human beings are enemies of the ignorant, it is our nature. Clichés have always been present in the Spanish perception of Morocco; this country represented for many centuries the natural enemy of Spain. The word "Moor" still has meaning in the Spanish collective imagination, it is a single word that summarises several centuries of conflicts and wars, peace and coexistence, hatred and love, hence the title of my book because, in my opinion, we have still not been able to get out of this historical alley. The 21st century and globalisation represent a golden opportunity to bury imaginary swords and build human, political, cultural and economic bridges.

I would like to add that our relations are still managed, to a large extent, by rules established by our great-grandparents, if our ancestors made their own history according to a given historical context, we do not build our present with our own rules. The rules of the dead became a doctrine, that's why I always say that the dead still have a word to say in the present. I believe that the great-grandparents are not yet fully buried. May they rest in peace.  

It must also be acknowledged that part of the Spanish elite is completely ignorant of Morocco, moreover some do not want to know anything different from what they believe to be right and proper.  On the other hand, the image of Spain in Morocco is generally positive, but the image that the Moroccan elite has of Spain remains ambiguous and dominated by Madrid's political stances on the Moroccan Sahara, another problem is language, Spain seems a distant country because our elite does not speak Spanish and as a consequence we notice that there is little interest in political life in Spain, this comes mainly from the absence of a prominent Spanish cultural presence although we cannot skip the efforts of various institutions such as the Cervantes Institute in the forefront.

Now, if geography is a fatality and history is already written by our ancestors, our real challenge in the 21st century is how to get rid of this negative heritage and establish solid and fruitful state relations, there is no secret in this sense, it is enough to look at other examples worldwide like France and Germany that could find a balm to their open wounds from the Second World War, maybe it is our destiny as Mediterranean?  I do not know.

States do not have feelings and cannot fall in love, states have geo-strategic interests and calculations, the state is an intelligent entity that can make pacts and reach agreements. Likewise, an intelligent state is one that adapts to changes in its space and seeks to take advantage of them, which is why it is in our interest now to overcome this cautious neighbourliness and move towards a strategic alliance, and I believe that the speech of His Majesty King Mohammed VI on 20 August last was along these lines.

Are Spain and Europe aware of Morocco's development and modernity?

Morocco is now a totally different country, I will not exaggerate if I say that it is at the forefront of the emerging countries in the Arab world and the African continent, without a doubt, we are talking, today, of a regional power. This drastic change is explained by one word: the good governance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Personally, I do not notice the difference between Tangiers and several European cities.

Spain and the European Union know perfectly well the geo-strategic importance of Morocco and the giant leaps that this country has made at all levels in the last 20 years. Moreover, Spain and the European Union need a prosperous, stable, united and secure neighbour by its side, and most European leaders are aware of this, which is why Morocco enjoys, historically, a special respect throughout the European continent.

Do the economic and political elites need to know that the stability of Morocco is the stability of Spain/Europe and vice versa?

I think they already know that, in my opinion, the change in political elites has sometimes led some politicians to fall into a certain political naivety, but we must bear in mind that being a statesman is an exercise and an apprenticeship, and it is not always a path of roses, or as Antonio Machado said, the path is made by walking.

It must be acknowledged that some politicians are more talented at this task than others. In the end, the intelligence of states fixes everything, human memory and even the memory of the state does not store the noise, but it always keeps the sensible speeches and remembers the wise and noble gestures in difficult moments. Morocco is one of those wise countries that the European Union has always wanted to have at its side as a friend and strategic partner.  

Would the Moroccan proposal on the Sahara condition the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla?

As I had said, the logic of the 21st century demands a new perspective, we have to intelligently overcome the problems created by our great-grandparents. Spain has always defended its territorial unity as a nation-state and it is its right, in the same logic Morocco has the right to defend its territorial unity, look at how a world power today recognises Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, it is a very clear message to others, the United States opens our eyes to political correctness and tries to create a path of light in the midst of darkness, the United States is a state that leaves feelings and grudges in the wardrobe.

Is the balance that Spain needs in its relations with Algeria in its dependence on gas well understood?

Look, I am going to tell you one thing, and it is a message addressed to those who still defend the thesis of the Polisario's separatist front in Spain, and we all know that there are fewer and fewer of them. Gas bills are going to increase in the coming months in Spain, just like electricity bills, because Algeria has stopped exporting gas to Spain via Morocco, which means that Spanish citizens will pay the price for the closed borders between Morocco and Algeria and for maintaining the Sahara problem, simply because Algeria does not want a solution to the problem of the Moroccan Sahara because it does not serve the interests of certain sectors in power. Moreover, there are certain sectors on the peninsula that blindly defend this thesis, their motto has always been "we must beat the Moor", notice that I was talking about clichés earlier.

In my opinion, it is a problem that now touches the pocket of the ordinary citizen in Spain who becomes one more victim of this artificial conflict. As a Moroccan writer, I believe that Morocco has never intervened in the foreign policy of other states, including Spain, unless these relations are directed against its territorial unity and vital interests.

How would you rate the cooperation between Spain and Morocco in counterterrorism?

Cooperation between Spain and Morocco in anti-terrorism matters is a model in the Mediterranean basin, Morocco's experience in this field is recognised worldwide, and it is not lost on several European countries that on several occasions applauded the efforts made by Moroccan security forces to dismantle terrorist cells or assist European security forces in open investigations.

Morocco is a key player in the security of Europe and Africa, and joint military exercises between the Moroccan and American military demonstrate the importance of Morocco's security in ensuring peace and stability in the region.    

Do you think it is necessary to promote south-south cooperation and neighbourhood in order to maintain the security of our geographical space? 

There is no other way, south-south neighbourhood is no longer an option but an obligation. Given the changes in our geographical space, we have no choice but to foster our cooperation and consolidate the south-south neighbourhood, which is why I said that our future lies in how we are going to overcome clichés and foster cooperation.

The problems come from the past and the future opens a window of opportunity that we should take advantage of, it is our historical role, and we have no other choice.