Sir,

You grossly misrepresent my negotiating stance in the talks aimed at renewing the fishing agreement between Morocco and the EU (September 2nd). It is not my habit to make "veiled threats", or to bully anyone.

Since the opening of the talks in April, we have made clear to the Moroccans that we were prepared to accept cuts in our catch in Moroccan waters. The Moroccan side, however, has stuck dogmatically to its stance on cuts, amounting in some cases to as much as to two thirds. This is a non-starter if the we are to maintain a viable economic activity in this area. In an attempt to break the deadlock, I tabled a proposal at the end of August. It was certainly not an ultimatum. To our bewilderment, the Moroccan side failed even to acknowledge receipt of the proposal. Thus, I announced my intention to inform the Commission that the talks had broken down, urging it to examine the fishing agreement within the full context of EUMoroccan relations. It is not my intention to make Morocco a hostage to the EU. When negotiations reach a stalemate, it is sensible to take a step back and reconsider the issues from a broader perspective - something that bots sides should now do.

Emma bonino

EU Commissioner for fisheries