José Manuel Albares (Madrid, 1972), Minister of Foreign Affairs, has under his responsibility the program of the Spanish six-monthly presidency of the European Union, which has just begun, with the unexpected novelty of the general elections on the 23 of July In this interview with La Vanguardia, Albares explains the general lines of the semester and answers several questions about the most sensitive chapters of Spanish foreign policy, when the political future of the country is decided.
Doesn’t the calling of elections devalue a Spanish presidency in which a lot of effort has been poured?
There is no devaluation. The European Union is used to having electoral periods during the six-monthly presidencies. France had a very successful presidency last year, with three elections; Belgium had it with a sitting government. It was already known that there would be elections in Spain, even if it was at the end of the year. The Government has made an enormous effort to ensure that this presidency is truly a national project. The only attempt to devalue it comes from the Popular Party.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the opposition and candidate for the presidency of the government, complains that he has not received information from the Executive.
More than a year ago I addressed all the political forces present in Congress and explained to them the general lines of the presidency. A few months ago I gathered the Spanish MEPs and they all came except the PP, which has voluntarily decided to be outside the consensus.
The president of the PP has set up a working group following the possibility of taking over the Spanish presidency after July 23 if he wins the general elections and succeeds in the investiture.
A few days ago I saw a list of people that Mr. Núñez Feijóo has appointed to deal with European issues and I was surprised, for two reasons. Almost all of them are men and many of them were at the head of Spain’s foreign policy at the time of Spain’s greatest distance from the European Union, which was the time of the Iraq war.
One of the most important events of the semester will be the EU-Latin America summit that will be held on July 17 and 18 in Brussels. Have the Latin American presidents already confirmed their presence?
More than twenty heads of state have already confirmed their presence, the latest, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, after a telephone conversation with President Sánchez. [ The interview with Minister Albares was held on Thursday. La Vanguardia has asked again about the refusal of the Latin American countries to give their support to Ukraine at the next summit in Brussels, which our newspaper reported on yesterday. The Foreign Office pointed out that Minister Albares remains on hold, pending the definitive text of the resolution, which has not yet been concluded].
Are there basic lines of consensus with the PP that guarantee the continuity of Spain’s relationship with the current Latin American governments?
I have seen the electoral program of the PP in matters of foreign policy, and I once again note that for them Latin America is three countries: Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. As a minister I have spoken very clearly about these countries. But Latin America is more. The PP has an ideological policy on Latin America. It only conceives of being able to relate to governments with which it is in ideological harmony. For this Government, all the countries of Latin America are equally important for Spain. We look for the relationship to be built on common values ??and that is why we have maintained very good relations with conservative governments in Latin America, as well as with progressive governments.
There is another axis of foreign policy that requires consensus: Morocco. Is there a basic consensus on the policy to follow with Morocco in the event of a change of government in Spain?
All the governments of the democracy have considered Morocco to be the main priority and I think it is undeniable that we have achieved a mutually beneficial relationship with this country. We managed to improve this relationship. What I observe is that the PP is returning to its origins: to positions of conflict with Morocco, a disturbing return to anti-Moroccan positions that take us back to the Perejil crisis. I think it’s the wrong approach. The current good relationship with Morocco is mutually beneficial and is fundamental for Ceuta and Melilla, for the Canaries, and also for Andalusia.
Does the letter that the President of the Central Government, Pedro Sánchez, sent to the King of Morocco about the Western Sahara, in which he admitted regionalization as possible, compromise a future Government?
The PP has tried to introduce the idea that with this letter a turn would take place. In this letter it is confirmed that Spain continues to be where it has always been: supporting the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General in everything that is needed to find a solution. The PP is the one that has to decide if it wants to remain in this United Nations framework or not.
How is the relationship with Algeria evolving?
We have extended our hand so that there is a relationship based on the same principles with which we relate to the rest of our neighbors and to the rest of the Arab countries: friendship and mutual benefit.
Let’s go back to Ukraine. The economic and social consequences of the war are already visible in Europe. Is the war, in essence, the cause of the stumble of the Spanish left on May 28 and the advance of the general elections to July 23?
No, I don’t think so. First of all, we must remember that the war is the sole responsibility of Vladimir Putin. Spain has fulfilled its obligation as a member country of the European Union. And we have faced the economic and social consequences of the war. We have faced them. The Government has faced some adverse consequences arising from Russian aggression and a response based on European values.
And what perspective do you have on the war?
Unfortunately flat. Putin shows no signs of wanting to withdraw his troops. Spain will be committed to Ukraine as long as it takes.
