Spain says US threats 'make no sense,' warns coercion against Madrid would target entire EU

GENEVA

Spain’s foreign minister on Thursday dismissed threats from US President Donald Trump of possible trade measures against Spain, saying any action against Madrid would make "no sense" and would effectively target the entire EU.

"The commercial policy of the European Union is a common policy and the one that has the competencies in trade policy, which is the Commission, has made it very clear: any attempt of aggression against a country or commercial coercion against a country of the European Union is obviously against the entire single market and all the countries of the European Union," Jose Manuel Albares told RTVE.

Asked whether the US could take action against Spain, Albares said it is a question that Trump could answer; however, he added: "What I am clear about is that nothing would lead to any action against Spain."

"Spain is a free and sovereign country that makes its decisions in a sovereign way," he said.

He added that Spain’s policies are "coherent with European values and coherent with the principles of the United Nations Charter that respect international law."

"For Spain to receive some type of action or coercion for being a solidary European partner, for being a reliable NATO ally, for being a major trading partner for the United States would make no sense," he said. "It would be a world upside down, a world of absolute chaos."

Regarding the dismissal of the Spanish ambassador to Israel, he reiterated that the embassy in Israel remains "fully operational" and is being headed by a charge d’affaires.

Albares said Spain had sought to maintain the best possible relations despite what he described as repeated “injuries and slanders” by members of the Israeli government, but the dismissal move places diplomatic representation "exactly at the same level" as Israel’s embassy in Madrid, which has also been led by a charge d’affaires for nearly two years.

The minister also mentioned the evacuations from Iran, saying it "concluded last weekend, unfortunately, with the temporary closure and the definitive evacuation of the entire embassy, including the ambassador."

Spain is continuing evacuations elsewhere in the Middle East.

"This is the largest evacuation of Spaniards by the Foreign Ministry in its history," Albares said, noting that about 7,100 citizens had already been evacuated and the figure "will go far beyond 8,000."

The minister stressed that numbers will continue "to rise rapidly each day."