The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday proposed to his German colleague, Heiko Maas, to increase cooperation between Spain and Germany in the EU’s relations with Ibero-America and the Southern Neighbourhood.
Albares held his first telephone conversation with the German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the priorities of the European agenda, among other issues, according to a statement released yesterday by the Spanish Foreign Ministry.
The communiqué indicates that Albares told Maas of the importance of the partnership between Spain and Germany to promote the main priorities of the European Union, with special emphasis on Germany’s status as an essential partner for our country.
“In this regard, he highlighted the key role of both governments in promoting the European reconstruction plan, the vaccination campaign and coordination in the adoption of measures restricting mobility by the Member States”. On this last issue, Albares pointed out the need to work towards a gradual lifting of restrictions as the vaccination campaigns progress.
Both ministers commented on the specific measures that Spain and Germany have implemented to ensure a culture of permanent dialogue, such as regular contact at the level of directors-general or diplomatic exchange programmes, and agreed to explore new ways of strengthening relations.
According to the communiqué, Albares commented on “the possibility of further intensifying this cooperation in the field of the EU’s foreign and trade relations, particularly with regard to the Southern Neighbourhood and Ibero-America”. In the latter region, Spain is committed, the foreign affairs ministry adds, to strengthening trade relations with partners such as Mercosur, Chile and Mexico.
With regard to the European agenda, the Spanish minister expressed interest in Germany’s priorities in view of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the Union, which Spain will assume in the second half of 2023.
Finally, the communiqué reports that the telephone contact also discussed the holding of the German-Spanish Forum, which was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
