ShareKUWAIT: Spanish Ambassador to Kuwait Miguel Maro Aguilar addressed guests on Spanish National Day, an occasion for legitimate pride and celebration for all Spaniards. Some excerpts:
"Spain is one of the oldest nation-states in the world, with more than five centuries of long-lasting, fruitful common existence amongst all the peoples and regions that enrich our country and culture. On October 12th, we also commemorate our deep historic links with the Spanish American countries, a culturally rich and vibrant community of nations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
"Spain was a forerunner in today's globalization, which started in the 16th century as a result of its projection to different areas of the world. Precisely this year, we are marking 500 years of the first documented world circumnavigation, an amazing adventure that started in southern Spain on September 20th, 1519, and lasted for three years.
"It was a risky, adventurous journey, through then unchartered waters, and from then on, all continents were, for the first time, connected, offering us the chance to think in global, planetary terms, where Spain served as a continuous bridge for more than 300 years between Europe, America and Asia.
"Apparently overcome, hamdullilah!, is the worst part of the terrible COVID-19 pandemic, the cause of so much suffering. It is now the unjustified, unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine that has put the whole of mankind to the test, triggering an unprecedented level of disruption since the end of the Second World War.
"We, Spaniards, enjoy a very clear perspective in this regard, and are among those who think that we cannot go back to a pre-UN world paradigm that neglects all the important progress achieved by so many with great effort and suffering. We firmly defend the respect of a rules-based-order, where the international law and the principles of the UN Charter prevail over 'jungle law', whose unacceptable return we must all object to.
"Principles and values that we share with Kuwait, a country which emerged from the traumatic 1990 invasion, only to become one of the staunchest defenders of the international law and humanitarian causes in the Middle East and in the whole Arab world. We already enjoy excellent cooperation with Kuwait in international fora, which is definitely based on those shared, cherished values; a cooperation, indeed, that will only increase in the coming years.
"On the second anniversary of the proclamation as Amir of HH Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and of Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Mishal, let me convey personally and on behalf of my government our warmest congratulations, as well as our best wishes for Kuwait and the Kuwaiti people.
"On a bilateral basis, the last two years of the pandemic was the reason that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations was not so conveniently marked. Nonetheless, it was not in any way, a lost period. The visits of both our ministers of foreign affairs, in April and in May 2021 respectively, or the political consultations at vice minister level last June in Madrid, are only some among the more recent diplomatic hallmarks. We are soon going to hold, also in Madrid, a joint economic committee between both countries, which will surely facilitate the progress in this field.
"Here in Kuwait, a Spanish Business Council has been established for the first time, bound to become a strong force for rapprochement between both countries. Let me point out as well that the recent air reconnection of both capitals, after almost 40 years, thanks to Kuwait Airways and its agreement with the Spanish Air Europa, is also wonderful news.
"Spain, as an international hub and a strategic bridge to Latin America, will facilitate our Kuwaiti friends a great number of new connections and opportunities for business that have, from now on, to be further explored and rendered effective. Kuwait in its turn, with its new, magnificent world-class airport currently under construction, will also be offering several options for travelers from Spain and Latin America to fly to Asia, Africa or the Middle East.
"But we, at the Spanish Embassy in Kuwait, would definitely like more Spain in Kuwait and more Kuwait in Spain. Both societies have to know each other better and do it better together. We are pleased to see new contacts in the realm of medicine, sports, academia or university, recently flourishing as in many other fields."
