Washington, DC—On September 11, 2014, the Spanish Ambassador to the US, Ramón Gil-Casares, addressed WFPG members and guests at his residence on transatlantic relations between Spain, the US and the EU. His remarks covered a wide range of topics, including Spanish-American historical and cultural ties, current economic relations, and common US and European foreign policy and security interests. WFPG Board Chair Ann Stock moderated the event.

The Ambassador discussed economic ties between Spain and the US, focusing on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement currently being negotiated between the US and the EU, which Spain believes offers a strategic opportunity to develop mutually beneficial economic ties. He said Spanish officials are committed to working closely with their US counterparts to find creative solutions to economic and regulatory differences. The Ambassador acknowledged how difficult the economic crisis has been for Spain, but that after difficult reforms like balancing the budget and reducing the power of the trade unions, Spain is beginning to see GDP growth. The Ambassador also discussed Spain’s relationship with the EU. He believes the EU holds significant importance in Spain, as it represents Spain’s transition to democracy and emergence from isolation after the end of the dictatorship under Francisco Franco. However, the Ambassador felt that the EU needs to be better explained to the Spanish people.

Ambassador Gil-Casares also addressed common US-Spanish foreign policy and security interests. The US and Spain have close military ties through NATO, and Spain has contributed troops to joint missions in Afghanistan and Africa. In addition to security, the US and Spain share foreign policy interests in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East. The Ambassador spoke about Spain’s special relationship to the Arab world due to its location and common history. Spain has been supporting the US attempts to strengthen and unite moderate opposition to Assad in Syria, and has been working on stabilization and democratization in Libya.