John Kerry: The US to maintain relationship with "a strong and unified Spain"

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry insisted this Monday that the US is committed to maintaining its relationship with "a strong and unified Spain". Kerry repeated this Monday at a joint press conference with Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García Margallo, the statements made by US President Barack Obama last month during his meeting with Spanish King Philip VI. When asked how the US relationship with Spain will be after the 20^th of December Spanish elections, Kerry assured that the US will continue to collaborate in the economic and security related fields with the EU Member State. Kerry refused to comment on the possible fragmentation of the Spanish political panorama that many polls forecast after the elections and emphasised the US's respect for democracy.Kerry's official visit to Spain also included a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and with Spanish King Philip VI at 'Palacio de la Zarzuela', the Royal Family residence.

US secretary of State, John Kerry and Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy (by Moncloa) / ACN / Sara Prim

ACN / Sara Prim

First published: October 19, 2015 09:20 PM

Madrid (CNA).- The US wants to maintain its relationship with "a strong and unified Spain", stated this Monday US Secretary of State, John Kerry. At a joint press conference with Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García Margallo, Kerry was asked how the US relationship with Spain will be after the 20^th of December Spanish elections. Kerry reiterated the statements made by US President Barack Obama last month during his meeting with Spanish King Philip VI and assured that the US will continue to collaborate in the economic and security related fields with the EU Member State. Kerry emphasised the US's respect for democracy and its will to accept the result of the Spanish elections, but refused to comment on the possible fragmentation of the Spanish political panorama that many polls forecast. Kerry's official visit to Spain also included a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and with Spanish King Philip VI at 'Palacio de la Zarzuela', the Royal Family residence.

As stated by the US President Barack Obama last month during his meeting with Spanish King Philip VI, the US Secretary of State John Kerry assuredthat the US is committed to maintaining its relationship with "a strong and unified Spain". Kerry attended a joint press conference with Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel García Margallo this Monday in Madrid as part of his official trip to Spain. When asked about how the US relationship with Spain will be after the 20^th of December Spanish elections, Kerry assured that the US will continue to collaborate in the economic and security related fields with the EU Member State. Kerry didn’t want to go into specifics and refused to comment on the possible fragmentation of the Spanish political panorama that many polls forecast. On the other hand, he emphasised the US's respect for democracy and its will to accept the result of the Spanish elections.

Official visit to Spain

Kerry started on Sunday his official trip to Spain with a meeting withSpanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García Margallo, and exchanged presents with the Minister. This Monday, Kerry and Margallo held a joint press conference after signing an agreement on cleaning up 50,000 cubic metres of shore in Palomares, in Almeria in the south of Spain, where two thermonuclear bombs fell in 1966.

Kerry's schedule also included a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy and with Spanish King Philip VI at 'Palacio de la Zarzuela', the Royal Family residence. In the afternoon, Kerry will meet with some businessman and right before leaving he will meet Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sánchez.