The occasion could not have been more auspicious. Yesterday, on the ninth anniversary of his proclamation, Felipe VI took advantage of the lunch held at the Royal Palace on the occasion of the visit of Abdalah and Rania from Jordan to Madrid and Córdoba, to reiterate his commitment to serve Spain as “constitutional king.”
“Throughout these nine years – said the King – I have carried out my responsibilities with a sense of duty and institutional respect; with loyalty to the citizens, honoring my commitments with the Spaniards, and the constitutional values ??and principles; always with a willingness to serve Spain, of which the Crown is a symbol of its unity and permanence.”
Before the President of the Government, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Interior; representatives of the high institutions of the State, political leaders and other guests at lunch, the King recalled that June 19: “I also shared with all the Spaniards my convictions, my feelings and my will, which I maintain with the same solidity and illusion of that first day. And that they will continue to guide me towards the future, because their sense and meaning have not changed with the passage of time, but have been reinforced, guiding my actions as constitutional king”.
Then followed the references to the relations between Spain and Jordan, “a very close friendship, and a reciprocal, deep and sincere understanding” and some common desires for “democratic coexistence, progress and modernity, and an active contribution to regional peace and global”.
Abdullah II, who ascended the throne on March 22, 1999, after the death of King Hussein, congratulated Felipe VI on his nine years on the throne and recalled that Spain and Jordan are partners “in the search for peace and prosperity regional and global, working together to counter the impact of climate change on food and energy security.”
King Abdullah is the promoter of the Aqaba Process, an initiative that develops a series of international meetings that seek to strengthen military and security cooperation, coordination and the exchange of experience between regional and international partners to combat terrorism. Organized with a regional focus for each round, the meetings encourage expert discussions on security challenges. Today, Tuesday, a meeting is being held in Córdoba with the assistance of Felipe VI and Abdallah II, who last night shared a dinner with other participants and, later, a walk, hand in hand, through the streets adjacent to the mosque.