Robles calls for "unity" and "open-mindedness" in defense policy in Spain after the NATO Summit

MADRID, 5 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Defense Minister Margarita Robles called for "unity" and "open-mindedness" in Spain's defense policy on Tuesday, while warning that peace cannot be seen only "internally".

Robles' words take place after the NATO Summit held in Madrid and on the same day that the socialist part of the Government has decided to approve in the Council of Ministers a loan of one billion euros for Defense, which has validated the criticism of its coalition partner, United We Can.

During her speech at the closing of the meeting 'The future of NATO after the Madrid Summit' organized between 'El Español' and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, the head of the Defense portfolio recalled that, according to According to a survey by the Elcano Institute, 83 percent of Spaniards support NATO, emphasizing that doing so "is supporting the preservation of peace". Likewise, she has warned that "our security and defense are being threatened by land, sea, air and space."

Given this, "it is necessary that the countries show maximum unity", in the words of Robles, who has focused on "that unity that was the 'leitmotiv' of all the countries (during the summit) is also given in Spain" . "Peace is not going to be given to us by anyone, it is our obligation to preserve it if we want to have a better future in Europe", he added.

"Let us all be aware that we are risking peace (...) Spain is a generous and supportive country, it makes no sense" to look only at what happens in national territory, Robles has indicated.

Along these lines, he has guaranteed that Spain will continue to collaborate with the Atlantic Alliance as a "serious, reliable ally" and the Armed Forces will continue to participate in the missions.

Robles, who has assured that the holding of the summit in Madrid was "a success, with the utmost objectivity and without triumphalism", has focused a large part of his speech on emphasizing that the Atlantic Alliance works for the "preservation of peace" and in underlining the "unity" shown by the allies and partner countries attending the event.

The minister has avoided answering the questions of the journalists, who questioned her about the state of the Government coalition due to the disagreement shown regarding defense spending, both at the entrance and at the exit of the event.