Spain's king to visit Ceuta despite risk of further tensions with Morocco
It will be the first trip by a Spanish monarch to Ceuta and Melilla since King Juan Carlos in November 2007 that sparked a diplomatic crisis with neighbouring Morocco, which claims sovereignty over the territories.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will visit the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on October 13 and 14, marking their first official trip to the regions since the king ascended to the throne in June 2014. This follow-up to the recent migration crisis, namely the large influx of irregular migrants into Ceuta on July 30 and 31, comes almost 19 years after the last royal visit, made by Juan Carlos I in November 2007.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will not accompany the royal couple, though government officials suggest that Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, who oversees the response to the Ceuta situation, might join them. The itinerary, coordinated between the government and the Royal Household, is anticipated to be announced soon.
The visit will coincide with Spain’s National Day celebrations in Madrid on October 12, during which the monarch will also attend the 12th Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum. King Felipe emphasized the need for increased European cooperation following the Ceuta incident, labeling the mass border crossing as "unacceptable" and calling for greater solidarity in protecting the Union's external border.
Written by urgent.news from Spain in English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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