On Monday, at the informal Foreign Affairs Council held in New York to coincide with the High-Level Week of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, made a call to not wait any longer and to vote as soon as possible on sanctions against Israel. He also asked for clarity on the day of the vote. He further defended Spain's commitment to multilateralism and international law, in particular the universal principles of the United Nations Charter.
Albares raised the European responsibility to protect these universal principles, which are also linked to European history and identity. The Spanish Minister warned his European counterparts that multilateralism and international law are in danger. He offered clear examples such as Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the dire situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the unacceptable attack on Qatari territory.
Against this backdrop, Albares called on European partners to stand firm in defence of the international order, demonstrating that the EU is a truly global player. He also made the case for the consistent application of international law, to make clear to our global partners that we are referring to universal norms and values, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and human rights, and that we all have a common interest in preserving them.
Albares also wanted to stress that, if we wish to talk about international law, including international humanitarian law, we must be firm in condemning violations wherever they occur. In his view, it must be clear that we stand for the same principles and values in all scenarios, from Ukraine to Gaza, also including Qatar when it was attacked.
He additionally called for consistency in EU actions, contrasting united and determined action in response to Russian aggression with a failure to agree on measures in response to Israel's human rights violations. "We must be aware that the lack of political will to act in Gaza does not strengthen the EU as a global actor, quite the opposite", he warned.
UN Anniversary
Before participating in this meeting, Albares began his agenda by attending the ceremony commemorating the eightieth anniversary of the UN, which marked the official start of this High-Level Week, bringing together the main representatives in world diplomacy.
After accompanying the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, during his participation in the Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, Albares completed the day by participating in various bilateral meetings, including the encounter between the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and Sánchez.
Water Diplomacy
Also on the Minister's agenda during this first day was an event on water diplomacy, in which he warned that water is a source of life, but also a source of potential conflict if not managed with a shared vision. Therefore, he considered the role of the UN in promoting fair and sustainable governance of this resource to be "essential".
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