Borrell sees strategic Turkish security for NATO's southern flank
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, met Tuesday with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavusoglu, to whom he has conveyed that the security of Turkey is "strategic" for the entire southern flank of the Atlantic Alliance and, by extension, for Europe.
Both ministers, whose meeting took place in the framework of the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, have analyzed several issues of relevance in the bilateral, international and multilateral agenda.
As reported by the Foreign Ministry, Borrell has noted during the meeting the "good state" of bilateral relations between Spain and Turkey, "friendly country and partner" in NATO.
In the field of security, the minister has reaffirmed that Spain considers that the security of Turkey is strategic for the entire southern flank of the Alliance and, by extension, for Europe.
Therefore, explains the Ministry, Spain has participated for years "and with a remarkable effort" in the NATO mission of support to Turkey through, among other means, the Patriot Battery present in that country within the framework of the Spanish contribution to the plan of NATO defense in Turkey "NATO Support to Turkey".
Borrell has also recognized the "fundamental role" of Turkey in the Syrian refugee crisis and its important contribution in the search for a political solution to the conflict in Syria and the resumption of peace negotiations, which Spain supports in the framework of the Resolution 2254 of the Security Council of the United Nations.
On Turkey's negotiations with the EU, Foreign Affairs points out that Spain remains a "strong supporter of the Turkish European perspective" and the Foreign Minister has encouraged his counterpart to move in that direction.
Both ministers have also discussed the progress of the process of the Alliance of Civilizations, in which Spain and Turkey "are investing their best efforts, addressing various issues concerning their development and future."
Finally, the two ministers noted that the economic and trade relations between the two countries are "strategic in nature", both in terms of the amount of exchanges and the sectors involved.
