During his speech, Sánchez stressed that Spain is today celebrating 40 years of alliance with a group of countries that share with ours the same idea of democracy, and societies that are governed on the basis of freedom, justice, equality and political pluralism. This historic celebration comes a month before Spain hosts the next NATO Summit.
The President of the Government of Spain reaffirmed that "NATO membership fulfils a transcendental mission: it allows us to be what we are, and guarantees that we will be what Spain wants to be. Because we are not just talking about a military alliance, but about a common front in defense of the principles that bring prosperity and well-being to our peoples".
The event, presided over by King Felipe VI, was attended by the Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, and former Secretaries General of the Alliance; former presidents of the Government of Spain; ministers of the Executive; and representatives of the highest State Institutions. The commemoration was also attended by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Spain and the diplomatic adviser to Volodymir Zelensky, who is in Madrid on an official visit.
Also present were Members of NATO's Atlantic Council, composed of the Permanent Representative Ambassadors of the Allied countries in Brussels - a rare occurrence, as it is rare for the Atlantic Council to travel outside Brussels.
During his speech, the NATO Secretary General thanked Pedro Sánchez for his personal leadership within the Alliance "because your commitment to transatlantic security is and will continue to be vital", stressing that in the future "Spain will continue to play a fundamental role within our Alliance, because at this time of increasing global competition, our unity is our strength".
H.M. Felipe VI praised the participation of the men and women of the Spanish Armed Forces in NATO missions over the last 40 years, which has been an "extremely valuable commitment and a true honor". He stressed that Spain will contribute to making the Alliance resulting from the Madrid Summit stronger, smarter, more efficient and better prepared to collectively confront a new and more complex security environment.
The President recalled the important work of former Presidents of the Government of Spain and former NATO Secretaries General in bringing Spain into the Alliance.
40 years if Spain in NATO
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The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, attends the event of the 40th anniversary of Spain's accession to NATO, chaired by King Felipe VI | Foto: Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo
On 25 February 1981, in his investiture debate as President of Spain, Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo proposed that Spain should join NATO. Possible membership was debated in Congress in the October of that year, and on 2 December 1981, Spain informed the Alliance of its intention to join. On 30 May 1982, Spain became NATO's 16th member.
A period of reflection followed the general elections of 28 October 1982, culminating in the 1986 referendum in which 52.54% of the population voted in favor of accession. This accession did not involve Spain's incorporation into the integrated military structure, and the installation, storage and introduction of nuclear weapons on Spanish territory was prohibited.
In 1996, the Lower House of Parliament supported the government's negotiation of Spain's entry into the NATO command structure. A few months later, on 8 and 9 July 1997, Spain hosted the first NATO Summit in Madrid, aspiring to participate "fully" in NATO's integrated military structure, which was completed in 1999.
Pedro Sánchez has pointed out that, over the years, NATO has helped to cement Spain's relationship with the Western world and, in particular, the transatlantic link with the United States and Canada.
The Spanish Armed Forces in NATO missions
Spain has contributed resources and troops to NATO's main missions, demonstrating its commitment and solidarity as a reliable partner of the Alliance. The President of the Government of Spain stressed that, thanks to NATO membership, Spain has successfully tackled the challenge of modernizing the Armed Forces, "which has taken advantage of this opportunity with an extraordinary degree of commitment and professionalism".
Spain participated in the first NATO mission in 1992, since when some 125,000 Spanish military personnel have been deployed in 22 operations in places such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Libya, the Gulf of Aden, the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan and the Mediterranean, in which 119 Spaniards have lost their lives, including two interpreters.
Spain currently participates in six NATO missions: Baltic Air Police, NATO Standing Naval Groups, Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean, Enhance Forward Presence in Latvia, Operation Turkey Support and the NMI NATO mission in Iraq. Spain's commitment to the Atlantic Alliance has recently been reaffirmed with the deployment of 157 additional military personnel to reinforce the southern flank at the Latvian base in Ādaži.
The contribution of the Alliance to Spain and the other members is reflected in collective security, defense in all areas and full interoperability with other allies. "NATO has contributed enormously to a fundamental public good: the prosperity of our societies and the well-being of their citizens, who are in dire need of security. Because when our societies are in danger, all their foundations risk collapse," the President stressed.
On Putin's war in Ukraine, the President stressed that NATO and the EU are possibly facing the greatest challenge in their history, underlying that Putin will not succeed in his invasion because the allied countries have shown unwavering firmness in their support for Ukraine. "It has been clear from the outset that unity and cohesion among allies is NATO's best deterrent to prevent an escalation of the conflict," he stressed.
Sánchez pointed out that the unity of those of us who believe in democracy, the rule of law and an international order based on rules that protect civil and political liberties must be preserved. "It is imperative that we strengthen our deterrence capability, which requires modern military capabilities that can only be acquired through high defense spending. But there is no higher cost than dealing with armed conflicts and the terrible instability they generate," he said.
NATO Summit in Madrid
The NATO Summit in Madrid on 29-30 June comes at a key moment in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The president argued that if NATO is to provide a legacy of freedom, democracy and peace for future generations, decisions must be taken to strengthen NATO and equip it with the right tools and capabilities.
The Summit will adopt the Madrid Strategic Concept, a document that will guide the future of the organization for the next 10 years and which, as the president pointed out, will not be limited to the conventional military sphere, but will go beyond it, as a consequence of the growing importance of hybrid threats, such as the climate crisis and the food emergency. Sánchez pointed out that at the Madrid Summit there will also be the novelty of the candidatures of Sweden and Finland, two consolidated democracies whose contribution to the Atlantic Alliance "will be of enormous value."
"We allies have chosen to be on the right side of history, defending peace and international law without complexes or fear, and promoting everything that Europe stands for: a more just, prosperous and secure world," concluded the President.
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UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
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Original statement by La Moncloa (Spanish Presdidency)