Spain and the Mediterranean : Developing a European Policy Towards the South

serving or former diplomats, and these I acknowledge most gratefully. A key figure in the formation of Spanish Mediterranean policy, Miguel Angel Moratinos, generously allowed me to interview him repeatedly. Details of the interviews are given in the Appendix. A number of people whom I interviewed volunteered dossiers and other material. The most valuable contributions of this nature were made by Luis de Andrés Ortiz (fishing agreements with Morocco), Raimundo Aragón Bombín and Pedro Luis Gomis (immigration) and Gonzalo Bescós (EC Mediterranean policy). Research visits to Spain were all the more productive thanks to generous help from fellow academics, the staff of research centres and librarians. I am grateful to academics Esther Barbé, Fernando Rodrigo and Alejandro Lorca, and to the Director of CIDOB, Josep Ribera i Pinyol, for early guidance on sources. Both the Instituto Ortega y Gasset and the Fundación Pablo Iglesias allowed me to use them as virtual 'bases' in Madrid, while Carme Sans, librarian at the Escola Universitària de Treball Social, went out of her way to assist my research in Barcelona. Work on newspaper sources was facilitated by the existence of relevant thematic press files in the Oficina de Información Diplomática and at the EFE news agency in Madrid. I wish to thank Asunción Ansorena and Srta. Zapata at the OID and Juan María Calvo and Paloma Rupérez at EFE for their help. I also wish to express my gratitude to the University of Warwick for allowing me to take study leave in 1991-92 and for financing several research visits to Madrid and Barcelona. A visit to Gibraltar in September 1992 was made possible by a grant from the British Academy. Further periods of study leave granted by the University of Portsmouth enabled me to complete the writing of the book. In 1994-95, I benefited from the services of a research assistant. The documentation gathered by María José Betés is reflected primarily in the discussion of EU Mediterranean policy. My thanks go also to Jonathan Story, Dimitris Chryssochoou, George Joffé, Rachel Jones and Anna Syngellakis for commenting on individual draft chapters. Ultimately, the visits to Spain were made possible by the forbearance of my family, whose constant support I value beyond words. Lastly, a very special mention must be made of my good friends María Teresa Pallarés and Gines Blesa who provided encouragement all the way. This Is The First Comprehensive Study Of Spanish Mediterranean Policy. After Providing A Historical Overview, It Examines How The Country's Transition To Democracy Affected Its Mediterranean Relationships, Especially Those With Morocco And Algeria. The Book Shows How, Subsequently, Spain Has Developed A 'global' Mediterranean Policy, Extending Beyond North Africa To The Near East, And How Spaniards Have Come To Play An Influential Role In The European Union Through The Euro-mediterranean Partnership: A Multilateral Response To Instability In The South. Recent Experience Calls Into Question The Adequacy Of This Response. Spanish And Eu Mediterranean Policy Is Marked By Various Tensions: Between Seeking To Reduce The North-south Divide And Pursuing Self-serving Economic Strategies, Between Advocating Intercultural Dialogue And Feeling Threatened By Immigration, And Between Attempting To Promote Democracy And Cooperating With Regimes That Violate Human Rights. Spain's Pragmatic Mediterranean Diplomacy Has Helped Reduce These Tensions, But The Contradictions Remain.--jacket. 1. Spain's Illusive Mediterranean Empire. Catalans In The Mediterranean. Castile And North Africa. European Preoccupations. Back To Africa. A Dependent Colonialism. The Ambiguities Of Decolonization -- 2. Democratization And External Relations. The Franco Regime And The Arab World. Castiella's Nationalism: The Mediterranean Dimension. Late Francoist Policy. The Maghreb: From 'equilibrium' To A Global Approach. Democracy, Party Positions And The Making Of Foreign Policy -- 3. Spain And Morocco. The Saharan Obstacle. Fishing In Troubled Waters. Building Bridges: Politics, Military Ties And Human Rights. Doing Business With Morocco. Ceuta And Melilla, Or Sebta And Mililia? -- 4. Spain And Algeria. From Cold War To Diplomacy. Paying A Political Price For Gas. Living With Islam -- 5. From Maghreb To Mediterranean. The Rest Of The Maghreb. Spain And The Near East. Of Terrorists, Spies And Diplomats -- 6. The European Dimension. Ascending The Pyramid. Onward And Upward. From Lisbon To Barcelona. Revisiting Barcelona -- 7. Bridge Or Bridgehead? In Pursuit Of Security. Spain's Security Concerns In The Mediterranean. Towards Collective Security? A Final Assessment. Appendix. List Of Interviews. Richard Gillespie. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This is the first comprehensive study of Spanish Mediterranean policy. After providing a historical overview, it examines how the country's transition to democracy affected its Mediterranean relationships, especially those with Morocco and Algeria. The book shows how, subsequently, Spain has developed a 'global' Mediterranean policy, extending beyond North Africa to the Near East, and how Spaniards have come to play an influential role in the European Union through the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: a multilateral response to instability in the South. Recent experience calls into question the adequacy of this response. Spanish and EU Mediterranean policy is marked by various tensions: between seeking to reduce the North-South divide and pursuing self-serving economic strategies, between advocating intercultural dialogue and feeling threatened by immigration, and between attempting to promote democracy and cooperating with regimes that violate human rights. Spain's pragmatic Mediterranean diplomacy has helped reduce these tensions, but the contradictions remain."--BOOK JACKET Contending that the Mediterranean has largely been absent from the literature on Spanish foreign policy despite a greater accent on the North-South dimension since the end of the Cold War, Gillespie (Iberian and Latin American Studies, U. of Portsmouth) fills in this perceived gap by analyzing the recent evolution of Spain's policy in this region a policy rooted in "Spain's illusive Mediterranean empire," the history of which he overviews. Based on some 80 interviews with diplomats, the author evaluates Spain's success in realizing its policy objectives as both an independent state and as part of the European Union. Includes basic maps of the Mediterranean and Spanish territories in North and West Africa in 1965, and a list of those interviewed from 1991-95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) The first comprehensive study of the Mediterranean dimension to Spain's external relations. Besides an historical overview of Spanish involvement in the Mediterranean, the book analyses how relations with Morocco and Algeria were prioritized, before a more 'global' policy was adopted, extending to the Middle East. The study demonstrates how Spain has 'Europeanized' its Mediterranean policy and acquired an influential role in the EU through the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: a multilateral response to instability in the South. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Spain’s Illusive Mediterranean Empire....Pages 1-21 Democratization and External Relations....Pages 22-41 Spain and Morocco....Pages 42-77 Spain and Algeria....Pages 78-108 From Maghreb to Mediterranean....Pages 109-133 The European Dimension....Pages 134-158 Bridge or Bridgehead? In Pursuit of Security....Pages 159-177 Back Matter....Pages 178-226 This study of the Mediterranean dimension to Spain's external relations takes an historical overview of Spanish involvement in the Mediterranean. The book analyzes how relations with Morocco and Algeria were prioritized, before a more "global" policy was adopted, extending to the Middle East.