ABSTRACT
Spain possesses a further series of enclaves in Morocco, the largest being Melilla, located east of Ceuta, near Nador. In 1961, Morocco appealed to the UN to recognise its rights with regard to Ceuta and the other enclaves, but Spain merely reinforced their borders. In the immediate environs of the strait are Gibraltar, a British enclave in Spain on the northern side, and, on the south, Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in Morocco. On the opposite side of the strait is Gibraltar, a British-controlled enclave which has developed as a strategic military base and port city. In April 1998, the newly appointed prime minister of Morocco pledged to resolve the states territorial issues, including the restatement of its claim to the Spanish enclaves. Morocco has in stated that it would raise the question of the two presidios, as both Ceuta and Melilla are known in Morocco, together with the other enclaves, if Gibraltar were to be transferred to Spanish control.
