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Spain Interior Minister: Morocco Is a Loyal Partner to Madrid

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
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Spain Interior Minister: Morocco Is a Loyal Partner to Madrid

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska stressed on Friday that Morocco is a "loyal" and "fraternal" partner with which Madrid maintains "excellent" ties.

"Morocco is a state that cooperates with Spain. It is a loyal partner and, of course, I would even say fraternal," Grande-Marlaska said to the press.

The relations between Spain and Morocco are "so satisfactory" and the mutual trust is "so important", the Spanish minister added, highlighting the April 7 Joint Declaration that launched a "new stage in the bilateral partnership."

"There is no need to worry, because relations between the two countries are exceptional and excellent," he stressed.

In September, the Spanish government welcomed the "intense" strategic partnership between Spain and Morocco, which reflects "a new stage" based on "transparency, permanent communication and mutual respect.

"We have an intense bilateral program covering all aspects of our bilateral relationship, based on transparency, permanent communication and mutual respect. These are the principles of a sincere cooperation between two strategic partners like Spain and Morocco," said Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares after meeting with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

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Constitutional Path for Aoun’s Presidential Election in Lebanon

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
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Constitutional Path for Aoun’s Presidential Election in Lebanon

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun (Reuters)

Gen. Joseph Aoun currently leads the race for Lebanon's presidency, but some warn his election could be unconstitutional because he holds a “Class A” position, requiring his resignation two years before running.
However, his supporters point to the 2008 election of Gen. Michel Suleiman, who was also army commander at the time, as a precedent. They argue the reasons given for Suleiman’s election should apply to Aoun as well.
At the time, Speaker Nabih Berri argued that the support of over 86 lawmakers for Suleiman made his election constitutional, as any constitutional amendment requires 86 votes.
MP Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, continues to argue that Aoun’s election is unconstitutional under the current process.
He recently stated that constitutional amendments require a president, a functioning parliament, and a fully empowered government. The process also needs two steps: a two-thirds majority in the first vote and a three-quarters majority in the second.
Bassil’s argument is based on Articles 76 and 77 of the constitution, which say amendments can only be proposed by the president or parliament, but only during a regular session — which ended in December.
Dr. Paul Morcos, head of the “JUSTICIA” legal foundation in Beirut, told Asharq Al-Awsat that in 2008, parliament used Article 74 of the constitution to bypass the amendment to Article 49.
He explained that Gen. Suleiman’s election was considered an exception to the rule requiring military officials to resign six months before running for president, due to the presidential vacancy after President Emile Lahoud’s term ended in 2007.
Morcos added that the same reasoning could apply to Gen. Aoun’s potential election as president.