The Diplomat
Six new foreign ambassadors presented their Letters of Credence to the King yesterday, in a ceremony which, as is traditional, was held at the Royal Palace.
The diplomatic representatives summoned yesterday were, in order of presentation of their Credentials to the Head of State, those of Mali, Abdrahamane Baby; Moldova, Eugeniu Revenco; Greece, Ilias Fotopoulos; Ecuador, Andrés Vallejo Arcos; and Romania, George Gabriel Bologan.
Finally, Don Felipe received the head of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Madrid, Husni Abdel Wahed, who has the rank of ambassador, but as Palestine is not a state recognised by Spain, he cannot present Letters of Credence. Husni Abdel Wahed presented the King with a message from the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, accrediting him as the Palestinian representative.
After receiving the Credentials, the King spoke for a few minutes, as is also customary, separately with each of the new ambassadors, about bilateral relations and other matters of common interest.
On this occasion, Don Felipe was accompanied at the formal ceremony by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Luis Cuesta, replacing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who as a rule attends the ceremony.
This was the third ceremony for the presentation of credentials by ambassadors this year, following the one on 13 January, when six new heads of mission attended, and the one on 2 February, when six others did so.
The ceremony dates back to the 18th century and has remained virtually unchanged in its development to the present day. The new ambassadors are taken in period carriages belonging to Patrimonio Nacional from the Palacio de Santa Cruz, the historic seat of the Foreign Ministry, to the Royal Palace, escorted by the Royal Guard Squadron on horseback and the Municipal Police’s Battalion Squadron.
On their arrival at the Royal Palace, they are welcomed by the Royal Guard band in the Patio de la Armería, which plays the anthems of their respective countries.
