The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, received yesterday at the Palacio de Viana, in Madrid, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy of the EU and Vice President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, to coordinate Spanish and European foreign policy in the Mediterranean and Latin America.
As reported by the Ministry in a press release, both Albares and Borrell agreed on the need to strengthen ties with these “two strategic regions for Spanish foreign policy”. This is Josep Borrell’s first official visit to the Palacio de Viana -the official residence and representation of the heads of Spanish diplomacy- since he left the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs (which he held during the first stage of Pedro Sánchez’s government) in November 2019 to assume the Vice-Presidency of the European Commission.
“It has been a pleasure to meet with the new Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, in Madrid. Congratulations on your appointment, we are ready to work together and address global challenges in the Foreign Affairs Council”, Borrell stated on his Twitter account. “It has been a pleasure to discuss with you, Josep Borrell, the common interests of Spain and the EU. Your work as High Representative is fundamental for the EU to have a single voice in foreign policy. You can count on us”, Albares wrote through the same social network.
Regarding the Southern Neighborhood, Borrell and Albares addressed “the opportunity provided by the EU’s New Agenda for the Mediterranean and the important Economic and Investment Plan that accompanies it to promote the development of the region,” said Foreign Affairs, without providing more details on specific situations in this region, such as the diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco.
Likewise, and regarding Latin America, a “territory particularly affected by the pandemic and its socioeconomic consequences”, the Spanish Minister affirmed before the High Representative that “efforts must be redoubled not only to strengthen political and economic relations, but also to increase connectivity in areas such as transport, energy or telecommunications”, and warned that it is “especially important to advance in the approval of trade agreements with Mexico, Chile and very especially that of Mercosur”, added the Ministry, without further details.
During the meeting, both noted that “the firm commitment to multilateralism” of US President Joe Biden, confirmed at the EU-US Summit last June, “opens a window of opportunity to try to resolve existing trade disputes and move forward in the promotion of shared values”. Finally, Albares reaffirmed the commitment of the Spanish Government to maintain the unity of the EU Member States with regard to relations with Russia or China, for which it is “necessary to favor close coordination between Brussels and the national capitals”.
