<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The People's Party (PP) Parliamentary Group has brought a proposal to Congress to increase the number of Defense Attaché Offices abroad and to create attachment offices in all countries where Spain has defense and international support missions deployed and where there are specific interests for the defense industry.</strong></h4> In a non-legislative motion presented on May 29 for debate in the plenary session, the People's Party (PP) Parliamentary Group in Congress points out that Defense Attaché Offices are technical bodies in Spain's Diplomatic Missions, appointed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense. "Defense Attachés and other members of the attachment offices, duly accredited, perform functions and duties similar to other members of Diplomatic Missions according to their level, subject to the protocol rules of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense," it continues. "Furthermore, they report organically and functionally to the General Secretariat for Defense Policy of the Ministry of Defense, although they maintain coordination and information relations with the Chiefs of Staff and other senior defense officials, within their respective responsibilities," it adds. Their specific functions, within the framework of defense policy, include supporting and advising the head of the Diplomatic Mission, keeping him informed of its activities and promoting relations with the host state; providing information of interest to the governing bodies of the Ministry of Defense, ensuring timely coordination with the General Directorate of Defense Policy; interacting with the defense authorities of the host state to gather information and communicate national positions, when necessary or determined; supporting the initiatives of the Ministry of Defense in the host state; and, finally, providing support to Spanish military delegations and missions in the country on sectoral matters. "These attachés play an invaluable role, particularly in conflict zones where Spain contributes to the restoration of peace and international order, as is the case with the Russian invasion of Ukraine," the PP asserts. “Their presence is also essential in countries where Spain maintains foreign missions with active troops,” it adds. Currently, these attachés are present in sixteen countries and, furthermore, “are a crucial element of the ‘Spain brand,’ supporting the national defense industry and contributing to economic diplomacy by supporting the export of weapons components and fostering trade relations in the defense sector,” the motion continues. “Given its strategic nature and the fact that National Defense is a matter of State, it is essential that the Government report annually to the Defense Committee on the number of Attachés deployed abroad and the tasks they perform, thus ensuring transparency and unity of action,” warns the People's Party (PP) Group. For all these reasons, the Non-Law Proposal urges the Government to “prioritize Defense Attachés abroad, taking into account the need for the attaché office, the requests of the Embassies, and the reports from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, and Cooperation on the needs in this regard.” It also proposes prioritizing Defense Attaché Offices "in those countries where there are specific interests for the defense industry," creating a new Attaché Office, if one does not already exist, "in each of the countries where Spain has deployed defense and international support missions," and establishing Defense Attaché Offices "in Asian AP-4 countries (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea) due to their special relationship with NATO." The motion also urges the Government to "report, once a year, to the Defense Committee on the number of Defense Attaché Offices deployed abroad and the tasks to which they are assigned."
