Morocco Ready to End Parsley Standoff

Morocco said yesterday that it would not attempt to reoccupy the disputed Parsley island if Spain withdrew the troops that regained possession of the rock on Wednesday.

The foreign minister, Mohamed Benaissa, said that he was prepared to meet Spanish demands that Moroccan forces leave the small, uninhabited islet in the Straits of Gibraltar alone.

"I say publicly: Morocco has no intention of returning to Leila when the Spanish troops leave," he told a Spanish radio station.

But Spain said it could not accept promises made to journalists. It would need more serious assurances if the troops were to leave. "This has to be done through diplomatic channels," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

But Mr Benaissa, who was preparing to travel to Paris and Brussels for the weekend to explain Morocco's position, said he would not meet his Spanish counterpart, Ana Palacio, until Spanish troops have left.

Spain, meanwhile, promised it not to escalate the conflict or cut economic ties with Morocco. Spain is one of Morocco's biggest trading partners and aid donors.

"There will be absolutely no trade reprisals," said the economy minister, Rodrigo Rato. Officials also guaranteed the safety of some 200,000 Moroccans living in Spain as well as the estimated 1.5 million Moroccans who pass through the country each summer on their way home from Europe.

Meanwhile, Spanish warships continued circling the island yesterday, though fewer naval vessels were present than on recent days.

On the rock - which Moroccans call Leila and Spain calls Perejil, Spanish for Parsley - two Spanish flags flew and some 30 soldiers kept guard.

The EU restated its support for Madrid, but ruled out sanctions against Morocco, while the Arab League said that it considered the island to be part of Morocco.