The Spanish People's Party (PP) seeks to isolate the Socialist Party (PSOE) by presenting a non-binding proposal before the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Spanish Parliament next week. The aim is to thwart any attempt by the Socialists in the coalition government to relinquish control of the airspace over Western Sahara to Morocco. In its proposal, the PP calls on the government to adhere to the resolutions of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency concerned with international civil aviation, to ensure that Spain continues to manage the airspace over Western Sahara. This proposal is scheduled for discussion and voting on Thursday, April 10, in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Spanish House of Representatives. It is worth noting that the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously acknowledged the existence of talks with Rabat regarding the transfer of airspace management. However, since then, the topic has remained completely ambiguous. At the end of last year, both the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and «Aena», the airport operator in Spain, refrained from providing any information on the status of the negotiations, which the government had confirmed in March 2023. In the joint declaration of April 2022, which ended the diplomatic crisis between the two countries following a letter from Pedro Sanchez to King Mohammed VI, Spain and Morocco pledged to start talks on airspace management. Last February, the EH Bildu Party presented a similar proposal that did not receive approval, as it was voted down by the Socialist Party, the People's Party, and the Vox Party. The Popular Party asserts in its proposal that since 1976, Spain has managed the airspace over Western Sahara through the company ENAIRE, under a mandate from the International Civil Aviation Organization, given that the area is classified as a "non-self-governing territory" according to the United Nations. The party emphasizes that "this control has ensured the safety, stability, and efficiency of air traffic in the region, in accordance with international standards." The Popular Party criticized the «lack of transparency and absence of clarifications» regarding the bilateral negotiations, expressing concerns about the possibility of relinquishing this strategic area without security guarantees or benefits for Spain. The party warned that «any concession of airspace management without the approval of the International Civil Aviation Organization would constitute a blatant violation of international law and an implicit recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara», which would have «serious diplomatic and legal consequences for Spain and the European Union». It also pointed out that the European Commission has confirmed that aviation agreements between the European Union and Morocco do not include Western Sahara. This means, according to the party, that any transfer of airspace management without a clear legal framework could lead to disputes with Brussels and international civil aviation organizations. The People's Party stated that «the government's lack of transparency on this issue is unacceptable», warning that any concession to Morocco without parliamentary debate and legal guarantees would be «a betrayal of Spain's strategic interests» and would set a dangerous precedent in the country's foreign policy.
