On 27 November 1912, in Madrid, at the Palace of Santa Cruz, France and Spain signed the Convention to determine their respective positions towards the Sharifian Empire. The plenipotentiaries were Léon-Marcel-Isidore Geoffray, ambassador of the French Republic to the King of Spain, and Manuel García Prieto, Marquis of Alhucemas, Minister of State. Two originals, in French and Spanish. It is not the Treaty of Fez of 30 March 1912, which established the French protectorate.

Article 1: the Government of the Republic recognises that, in the Spanish zone of influence, it falls to Spain to keep the peace and to assist the Moroccan Government with the administrative, economic, financial, judicial and military reforms it requires, in conformity with the Franco-British declaration of 8 April 1904 and the Franco-German agreement of 4 November 1911. The regions remain under the civil and religious authority of the Sultan. They are administered, under the control of a Spanish High Commissioner, by a Khalifa chosen by the Sultan from two candidates proposed by the Spanish Government; he resides ordinarily at Tetuan, with a permanent general delegation. The High Commissioner is the only intermediary between the Khalifa and foreign official agents, without infringing Article 5 of the Franco-Sharifian treaty of 30 March 1912. The Sharifian Government is not responsible for acts committed under the Khalifa's administration.

Article 2: in the north, the line begins at the mouth of the Muluya, follows the channel to one kilometre below Mechra Killa, then the convention of 3 October 1904 as far as Jebel Beni Hassan, then the Wergha, keeping at least 25 kilometres east of the Fez–El-Ksar El Kebir road via Wazzan, the Loukkos, Jebel Ghani (no permanent fortifications) and the 35th parallel to the sea. In the south, the channel of the Draa from the sea to the 11th meridian west of Paris, then south to 27 degrees 40 minutes north; south of that parallel, Articles 5 and 6 of 1904 remain in force. Article 3: Ifni (Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña), under Article 8 of the treaty of 26 April 1860, between the Bou Sedra, the Noun and a line about 25 kilometres from the coast. Article 4: a mixed technical commission; Spain may take immediate possession of Ifni. Article 5: Spain shall not alienate its rights in the zone, even temporarily.

Article 6: in order to keep free passage in the Strait of Gibraltar, no fortifications on the stretch of Moroccan coast referred to in Article 7 of the declaration of 8 April 1904 and Article 14 of the convention of 3 October 1904. Article 7: Tangier and its outskirts shall have a special government, to be determined later; the limits start at Punta Altares, along the crest of Jebel Beni Meyimel, then the Fahs, Anjera, Wed Ras, the Es Seghir, the M'harhar and the Tzahadartz, according to the 1906 Spanish staff map. Article 8: existing consulates, schools and establishments are maintained; freedom of worship.

Article 10: taxes and resources of every kind in the Spanish zone are appropriated for the expenses of that zone. Article 11: the Sharifian Government shall not be called upon to share those expenses. Article 12: Spain shall not impair the rights of the holders of the 1904 and 1910 loans; the zone's contribution, provisionally 7.95 per cent on the 1911 receipts, is paid to the representative of the holders. Article 13: after customs are balanced, the French zone receives 500,000 pesetas hassani (300,000 from the western ports, 200,000 from the Mediterranean coast); the measures take effect on 1 March 1913. Article 20: the Tangier–Fez railway is built under the annexed protocol.

Article 26: international agreements later concluded by His Sharifian Majesty shall not extend to the Spanish zone without the previous consent of Spain. Article 27: differences not settled diplomatically fall under the convention of 26 February 1904, renewed on 3 February 1909, and the Hague Convention of 18 October 1907. Article 28: conflicting earlier clauses are abrogated. Article 29: the convention is communicated to the governments which signed the General Act of Algeciras. Article 30: ratifications shall be exchanged at Madrid as soon as possible. It is not the secret convention of 3 October 1904 and not the Tangier Statute of 18 December 1923.

Image: Palace of Santa Cruz, Madrid, place of signature; Luis García, 16 July 2011; CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Treaty Between France and Spain Regarding Morocco. Treaty text: Convention between France and Spain respecting the Sharifian Empire, Madrid, 27 November 1912.