<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares held a telephone conversation this Friday with his Dutch counterpart, David van Weel, with whom he discussed, among other topics, efforts for peace in the Middle East, support for Ukraine, and the situation in the Sahel.</strong></h4> "I spoke with my Dutch counterpart, David van Weel," Albares wrote on social media. "We discussed our bilateral relations, which we will continue to deepen, and cooperation in the EU," he continued. He also added that the two ministers discussed "efforts for peace in the Middle East, support for Ukraine, and the situation in the Sahel." "In difficult times, trusted partners like Spain are vital," Van Weel also wrote on social media. “A good first exchange with Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on strengthening our cooperation, from peace efforts in the Middle East to joint work in the Sahel,” he added. David van Weel has held the position of Foreign Minister since September 5th, within the current caretaker government of Dick Schoof. Last June, ministers from the ultra-conservative PVV party resigned their posts due to disagreements regarding asylum policy, and since then, the government has remained in office pending the formation of a new government. Van Weel, of the liberal-conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), announced last September that the Netherlands would not support the UN report describing the situation in the Gaza Strip as genocide and would instead await the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) before making a statement. In addition to his foreign affairs portfolio, Van Weel has also been Minister of Asylum and Migration since last June, following the departure of Geert Wilders' far-right ministers due to disagreements on the matter. He previously served as Minister of the Interior and of Justice and Security, and before joining the government, NATO's Under-Secretary-General for Innovation, Hybrid Defense, and Hybrid Threats.
