At the press conference that followed the summit, the President of the Spanish Government, José Luís Rodríguez Zapaterro, the permanent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, and the Moroccan Prime Minister, Abbas El Fassi, underlined the momentous importance of this first summit between the EU and an Arab country.

They all reiterated the need, as the final statement says, for ‘Morocco to reach optimum proximity to the EU’, by means of political modernisation and opening up the economy, and for both sides to get involved in a coordinated way, more and more often, with matters of global interest. They also emphasised the value of this relationship as an example for the Mediterranean region.

With regard to the economy, both sides promised to step up negotiations on easing restrictions on trade in services and right of establishment; they also promised to develop trans-European transport and energy networks, and to cooperate in the development of renewable sources of energy.

Among the political matters dealt with, the Middle East question, the Union for the Mediterranean, the situation in the Sahel, immigration and the Sahara stood out. ‘We have talked about almost everything,’ the Moroccan Prime Minister said.

The Western Sahara

Answering the numerous questions about the Western Sahara, Zapatero reiterated his support ‘for the work and mission of the UN’ and stated that ‘a frank, positive and constructive’ dialogue has always been kept up with Morocco on this matter, while Van Rompuy said the human aspect of the problem should not be forgotten and appealed for a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable solution.

The Maghreb, the Middle East and Immigration

Apart from the matter of the Sahara, the summit addressed the situation in the Maghreb. The final statement supports integration in that area and regrets the difficulties which exist, both in the Maghreb and in Africa.

With regard to immigration, the leaders present at the summit stated that cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination should be strengthened, and a global approach should be taken to the problem, that is, also dealing with the causes of migratory flows.

The same point of view is argued in relation to the Sahel, were they advocate seeking a solution which combines security with development.

Regarding the Middle East conflict, the EU and Morocco called for both sides to resume negotiations in earnest and refrain from unilateral measures; they also underlined the need to support the Palestinian Authority economically and politically and protect ‘Jerusalem’s common heritage’.

Granada, much more than a city

At the press conference, all the leaders spoke of the common heritage of the different cultures, which can also be seen in Granada. ‘This marvellous city represents the synthesis of the Arab and European civilisations,’ Van Rompuy said.

Zapatero, for his part, expressed his satisfaction that the first EU summit with an Arab country should be held in a capital which ‘symbolises like no other the union between the Arab and European Mediterranean’; and the King of Morocco, in a message delivered to the summit, described Granada as a ‘living testimony to fruitful historical, cultural and human interaction on both shores of the Mediterranean’.