Rosa MenesesSpecial envoy Beirut

Special Envoy Beirut

Updated Tuesday, January 23, 2024-18:59

  • Guera Israel announces the death of 21 soldiers in Gaza in the deadliest attack on its troops

"Avoid an escalation in the region at all costs."

That is the message that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares, wanted to convey in Beirut, after meeting with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Nayib Mikati.

"Lebanon is undoubtedly one of the main actors with which Spain wants to collaborate to put a containment block on the spiral of violence that is being experienced in the region.

Lebanon

, and that is the main message that I bring here today, is

one of our main partners for peace

and its survival and prosperity is key for this region and for Spain," he told the media.

In what is his first visit to the area, Albares highlighted that "

Spain has been working for stability and peace

here

in this region

together with our partners, friends and allies. We have been doing so since last October 7, when Spain - after condemning the terrorist attack that Israel suffered - has maintained a clear and coherent position of condemnation of terrorism and a position of working for peace".

And he added that Spain's proposal is "

an urgent call for an International Peace Conference

and to move from talking about the State solution

to the materialization of the two-State solution

that requires the recognition of a feasible and viable Palestinian State." .

Regarding the situation in Gaza, he declared: "

The suffering of the population of Gaza is unbearable

. We cannot allow, we cannot allow ourselves to continue seeing more deaths of women, of girls, of boys, of innocent Palestinian civilians. We cannot continue to endure the suffering of the families of the hostages who must be unconditionally released.

For this reason, he stressed that

Spain calls for "an immediate and permanent ceasefire

and we ask for

the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages

."

Albares' visit to Lebanon comes after he met with Mikati last week at the Davos Forum and received his invitation to travel to the Mediterranean country, according to the minister himself.

His arrival coincides with the latest statements by the Lebanese prime minister - who is in office - who linked a ceasefire in southern Lebanon - where skirmishes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah militias occur every day - with that of Gaza.

"We inform all envoys that talking about a de-escalation only in Lebanon is illogical. We ask for a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible in parallel with a serious ceasefire in Lebanon," he said a few days ago after a Council of Ministers.

Albares underlined Spain's support for Lebanon: "Today I have come to convey to our Lebanese friends and the Middle East region itself,

a message of commitment from Spain and its Government

to

its peace, its stability and its prosperity

."

The Foreign Minister will meet this Wednesday with the Spanish contingent integrated into UNIFIL, which with 650 blue helmets is Spain's most important mission abroad.

"The situation on the southern border is very worrying," acknowledged the head of Spanish diplomacy, who claimed "the importance of Lebanon at this time to contain the spiral of violence" and the contribution of the Spanish troops integrated into the contingent of the UN, commanded by General Aroldo Lázaro.

He will meet with him this Wednesday although for security reasons he will not be able to visit the Spanish barracks in Marjayoun or the UNIFIL base in Naqura, on the border with Israel.

Yes, he will visit Spanish cooperation projects in Beirut and Sidon.

He will then travel to Iraq to show his support for the Spanish military who support security in this country and convey a message to the Iraqi authorities that will contribute to de-escalating tension.

"This is the first of many trips I will make to the region," she said, in her goal of guaranteeing security and stability in the Middle East.