SPAIN: Morocco's six-day occupation of Perejil Island, a tiny rock outcrop just off its coast in the straits of Gibraltar, came to a dramatic end in the early hours of yesterday when elite Spanish troops landed on it and raised the Spanish flag, writes Jane Walker, in Madrid
Morocco's invasion of the island (whose the name means parsley in Spanish and is called Leila in Arabic) was carried out without warning last Thursday, and Spanish officials only realised it had taken place was when a Civil Guard patrol boat noticed a small tent and two Moroccan flags flying over the previously uninhabited islet which lies only 200 metres from Morocco's coast.
Morocco retaliated verbally, demanding that Spain leave the outcrop immediately. "Confronted with this aggression, the Moroccan kingdom demands, before anything else, the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Spanish armed forces from Leila island, which is an integral part of the Moroccan territory," the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, failed to endorse Spain's action. "The Commission is concerned about events on Perejil island. It is now time to return to the status quo ante and to resume dialogue between Spain and Morocco," he said.
But in a specially convened session of the Spanish parliament, the ministers of foreign affairs and of defence gave details of the operation, which they said was to "re-establish the pre-July 11th status quo." Defence Minister Mr Federico Trillo explained that the pre-dawn liberation was carried out using five helicopters - three which landed on the rock with 28 special operations commandos, and another two flying overhead to provide support - three frigates, an amphibious landing craft and several naval and civil guard launches.
Mr Trillo said that surprise was an important element in the attack, which was carried out without casualties on either side. "Our men were aware of the dangers, but their first priority was to liberate the island," he said.
The six Moroccan marines, who had been occupying the island gave up without resistance. They were taken to the Spanish north African enclave of Ceuta four kilometres away and later handed over to Moroccan authorities at the frontier post.
Mr Trillo said that members of the Spanish Legion have now replaced the commandos and set up camp. The ministers say that Spain has no wish to maintain a permanent military presence on the island which is little larger than a football field - and expressed the hope that relations with Morocco will return to normal shortly.
Spain believes the tiny island, one of half a dozen similar rocky islets off the North African coast, is part of the territory ceded to Spain when Morocco ceased to be a French and Spanish protectorate in 1956. The islands are of little intrinsic value to either country, but are popular with scuba-divers and drug and illegal immigrant smugglers who hide their cargo in their many caves.
What Morocco really wants are the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which have been part of Spanish North African territory for over 500 years. The Parsley Island invasion was a symbolic gesture by Morocco to demonstrate its determination to recover sovereignty.