The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation today, Sunday 21 September, began its participation in the various events of the United Nations Ministerial Week with its participation in a ministerial meeting on the Middle East, at which it outlined the main measures taken by Spain to end the conflict in the region.
Before the arrival of the main Spanish delegation —led by King Felipe VI, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares— the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs (SEAEG), Diego Martínez Belío, represented Spain at the first major event on one of the issues that will dominate the agendas of participants in this 80th United Nations High-Level Week.
The State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs warned that we are facing the greatest challenge of the modern era in the Middle East and that “we must act, not only react, to ensure that the various crises create a real opportunity to consolidate peace and stability” in the region. In this regard, he recalled that Spain has acted accordingly, at the forefront, with the growing support of numerous partners and allies.
At this meeting, organised by Qatar and the European Union and held at the International Peace Institute (IPI), Martínez Belío reiterated Spain’s warning, not only about the devastation and unbearable humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but also about the extremely dangerous risk of a wider regional escalation and instability with unpredictable consequences.
The State Secretary emphasised that the crisis in the Middle East today represents a major challenge for the United Nations system and for the international community, for those of us who defend International Law and International Humanitarian Law.
“We must assume our responsibility to effectively address violations and to preserve the international architecture through concrete action to bring an end to the war in Gaza and a de-escalation of tensions in Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Yemen,” concluded Martínez Belío, who advocated, in this complex context, the exercise of collective, bilateral, regional and multilateral influence.
-NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-