After Algeria's decision to freeze trade, Spain receives the support of the European Union and wants a solution as soon as possible

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alparis said that his country wants a quick solution to the dispute with Algeria through diplomatic means, while the European Union affirmed its readiness to support Spain despite its preference for dialogue.

After meeting with European Union officials in Brussels today, Friday, Alparis said that his country wants to resolve the dispute with Algeria as quickly as possible through dialogue and diplomacy.

In the same context, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said in a joint statement that "the EU is ready to stand up to any kind of coercive action against a member state... However, the EU continues to favor dialogue first to resolve differences." .

And Alparis had canceled his participation in the Summit of the Americas in the United States, to meet in Brussels with Dombrovskis.

And Alparis had previously stated yesterday that Madrid would be firm in defending its national interests and the interests of its companies, adding that Algerian gas supplies to his country would not be affected by this decision.

Spanish Finance Minister Nadia Calvino said in an interview today that her country's trade relations are not national, but European.

That is why it makes sense for the minister to travel to Brussels.

Minister for Presidential Affairs Felix Bolanos also told reporters that Spain "wants to restore its relationship with Algeria as quickly as possible."

This development comes after Algeria announced, last Wednesday, the freezing of trade with Spain, and the suspension of a treaty of friendship and cooperation that has been going on between the two countries for two decades, in the second diplomatic step after the withdrawal of the ambassador in protest against Madrid's change of its position on the Western Sahara conflict.

The dispute began after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told members of Parliament to stick to a resolution he had last March, providing for support for the autonomy initiative proposed by Rabat in the disputed Sahara region.

Yesterday, European Union officials called on Algeria to reconsider its move against Spain, saying they were "deeply concerned".

According to official statistics for the year 2021, Spain's exports to Algeria amounted to 2.107 billion dollars, and imports 2.762 billion dollars.