Spanish troops were making preparations Saturday to depart from the disputed island of Perejil/Leila off the North African coast.
The soldiers, who had been on the rocky islet since Wednesday when they ousted Moroccan forces who had occupied Perejil, were seen putting equipment into bags and appeared to be preparing to leave, Reuters report.
Earlier it was reported that the two states were close to reaching an agreement to end the crisis over the disputed islet, including a Spanish withdrawal.
A Spanish diplomat told United Press International the two states "are close to reaching an agreement on the legal status of the island of Perejil ... with U.S. mediation."
The diplomat added the agreement was "represented within the return to the status quo before the Moroccan military forces entered" the tiny island. He said it could be finalized on Sunday "if there are no surprises or adverse developments."
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell engaged in a series of diplomatic phone calls in a bid to seal a resolution to a dispute between Spain and Morocco over a tiny Mediterranean island, US officials said.
The officials said they were hopeful Powell's telephone diplomacy -- involving at least 13 conversations with top officials from both sides since late Thursday -- would yield an imminent deal. "We are waiting to confirm details that we would hope would lead to a resolution," one senior State Department official said, according to AFP.
A second official said Powell's plan envisaged both Spain and Morocco removing from the island any "outposts, flags or symbols of sovereignty," returning it to the situation of two weeks ago when its only inhabitants were a small number of goats.
Once that had been achieved, the official said the two states would follow up with ministerial-level talks to end the dispute. State Department officials said Powell spoke twice Friday with Morocco's King Mohammad VI, four times with Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio and once with Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa.
More calls were expected later, the officials said. "The secretary has been working very closely with the Spanish and Moroccan governments on the issues surrounding the island," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. "We remain hopeful that a resolution to these issues can be reached on .... the basis of returning to the status quo ante," he said. (Albawaba.com)
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