Albares applauds and justifies the appointment of a Spaniard for the southern flank of NATO

Eduardo González The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday applauded the appointment of the Spanish diplomat Javier Colomina to the position of Special Representative of the Secretary General of NATO for the Southern Neighborhood, a decision that has outraged the Italian Government of Giorgia Meloni and that, according to the minister, is justified by Spain's “leadership” on the southern flank. The Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, yesterday officially announced the appointment of Javier Colomina, a man of his complete confidence who held, until date, the positions of Deputy Undersecretary General of the Alliance for Political Affairs and Security Policy and Special Representative of the secretary general for the South Caucasus and Central Asia. “The Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel regions are important to our Alliance. Javier Colomina has extensive experience in dealing with NATO partners. His appointment will further strengthen NATO’s important work in the South,” stated Stoltenberg. The creation of the position of Special Representative of the Secretary General of NATO for the Southern Neighborhood is part of the Action Plan for the southern flank agreed upon during the recent Summit of the Atlantic Alliance, held in Washington on July 10 and 11. As Special Representative for the Southern Neighborhood, Colomina will serve as NATO’s focal point for the region. He will be responsible for coordinating and enhancing the visibility of NATO’s efforts in the south and will strengthen engagement with partners. “We applaud the appointment of the Spaniard Javier Colomina as NATO Special Representative for the Southern Neighborhood,” declared Albares through the social network X. “Spain has led the presence of the southern flank in the Strategic Concept, and the greater commitment and cooperation of the Alliance with the region,” he added. For his part, Javier Colomina wrote through the same social network that he is “honoured to be appointed as NATO Secretary General first Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood.” “Looking forward to coordinating & enhancing visibility of #NATO’s efforts in the South & to strengthening NATO’s partnership with the region,” he added. The appointment of Javier Colomina has outraged the Italian Government, which had shown great interest in taking this position. During the NATO Summit, Italy proposed up to three names for the position and the Prime Minister herself underlined, before the rest of the Alliance leaders, Italy's role in promoting "attention to the southern flank of the Alliance." in the strategy for North Africa and in containing immigration. For this reason, the news, which reached Rome last Wednesday, was received with indignation in the Palazzo Chigi, which immediately sent its delegates to NATO headquarters in Brussels to formally protest. According to the Italian newspaper 'Il Foglio', the permanent representative of Italy to NATO, Marco Peronaci, sent a letter to Stoltenberg on July 17 in which he explained that “the Italian authorities have learned of this decision with great surprise.” and disappointment” and warned that, “to be effective, NATO policy in the south needs a renewed focus, not a rebrand.” Likewise, even recognizing the power of the secretary general to decide on this type of positions, "Italy points out that this strategic decision has been made at the end of his (Stoltenberg's) mandate and without adequate consultation with the allies." The Meloni government has instructed Peronaci to officially inform NATO leaders that, in Colomina's appointment letter, Stoltenberg refers to him as “my special representative.” It follows, according to Italy, that “this appointment should be considered temporary pending any decision that the Secretary General”, i.e. Mark Rutte, “wants to take” when he takes office in October.

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