The Diplomat
The new German ambassador to Spain, Maria Gosse, stressed yesterday that rarely have there been so many high-level meetings between the two countries as this year, and she expressed her conviction that this will lead to a strengthening of bilateral relations.
Maria Gosse, who presented her Letters of Credence to the King last week, hosted a reception to celebrate German Unity Day, an event that was held at the modern German School in Madrid, as the Ambassador’s residence was under construction.
The event was attended by the State Secretary for the European Union, Pascual Navarro; several directors and deputy directors general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Spanish parliamentarians, members of the Armed Forces and of the Police and Civil Guard; representatives of Spanish civil society and numerous ambassadors, including those of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Hungary, Romania and Lithuania, among others.
The evening was enlivened by the musical group of the German Armed Forces, Ausbildungsmusikkorps der Bundeswehr, the musicians of the “BrassBand”, who travelled from Berlin, and the school band of the German School.
In her speech, the ambassador expressed her gratitude for the “warm welcome” she had received in a country which she said had become almost her second homeland, recalling that 26 years ago she took up the post of German consul in Barcelona.
She stressed that his work in Madrid begins in what has been called “the year of encounters”, due to the large number of high-level contacts that are taking place between the two countries. She recalled that the Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, visited Madrid in January, followed in February by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, and then the Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner. In addition, he said, a few weeks ago, President Sánchez attended a federal government conclave in Meseberg, the first time a Spanish Prime Minister had been present.
She also stressed that next week the two governments will hold a bilateral summit in A Coruña, and that in mid-October, Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain will make a state trip to Germany, where, after a visit to Berlin, they will inaugurate Spain’s participation as guest country at the Frankfurt Book Fair together with the Federal President.
I am convinced,” she said, “that the large number of meetings we will be holding this year will strengthen our ties even further. We want to work together on new projects and make further progress on what is perhaps the most important project of our time: the European project.
Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she said that Russia had attacked not only Ukraine “but all our values and principles, on which we have built peace in Europe after the Second World War”.
We are well aware that the brave Ukrainian men and women are not only defending their own country, but also all of us, our democratic values and human rights in Europe,” she said, adding that Ukraine “needs and deserves our humanitarian, economic and also military support”.
Noting that security of energy supply, soaring energy prices, inflation and food security around the world are issues to which we must urgently find answers, she urged not to lose heart, pointing out that the EU will be able to emerge stronger from the crisis “if it uses it as a driving force to address the necessary reforms”.
She warned against the danger of thinking that European action could disadvantage individual national interests, saying: “We will only overcome our challenges if we understand that EU interests, and ever closer EU integration, ultimately serve our broader national interest”.
Finally, she expressed his confidence that the Spanish Presidency of the Council in the second half of 2023 will be able to give important impetus to new projects and joint reforms in the EU, and guaranteed Germany’s support in achieving this.
