Albares promotes the two-State solution at the United Nations to achieve peace in the Middle East

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, has concluded his participation in the High-Level Segment of the UN General Assembly with a new push towards the two-State solution aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East.

Following the conflict's extension to Lebanon, the situation in the region has taken a prominent position on the Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister's agenda, which includes various bilateral gatherings and ministerial meetings aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, peace and a solution to the Middle East conflict based on the two-State solution.

Within this context, Minister Albares also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, to whom he requested restraint in order to avoid a full-scale war in the region and to refrain from supplying Russia with any type of arms for the war against Ukraine.

Albares also took part in the ministerial meeting on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), jointly organised by Jordan and Sweden, as well as in the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for Palestine. He also spoke at the High-Level meeting on the topic of Palestine and the two-State solution, which was held as a follow-up to the Madrid meeting, held on 13 September, for the European-Arab/Islamic Group. And, in conclusion to this eventful week, he met with the Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa.

UNRWA's Vital Work

Albares also had the opportunity to speak to Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of the UNRWA, whose Advisory Council Spain has chaired since July. UNRWA's work is of vital importance for the six million Palestinian refugees living in the Middle East in these difficult times. He also held a meeting with Karim Khan, Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, to whom he reiterated Spain's support in his fight against impunity and towards ensuring accountability. Spain has, as a promoter of this initiative, a very close relationship with the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilisations. Alongside this group, and with the High Representative, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Albares has been able to meet and share views.

Likewise, Albares has again conveyed Spain's commitment towards the United Nations to the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, with whom he discussed the situation in Lebanon and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, UNIFIL. He also held meetings with representatives of international Jewish communities, with whom he discussed the importance of continuing the fight against anti-Semitism, and to whom he conveyed Spain's commitment towards this objective.

Ibero-America

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has focused much of his agenda on the Ibero-American situation, which has Venezuela as its main focus of concern. He has done so at multiple levels, such as the trilateral meeting with Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, the working breakfast between Ibero-American Foreign Ministers and the meeting promoted by the Secretary of State for the United States of America, Tony Blinken, which resulted in a press release to which Spain has adhered.

During these days, it has once again been reiterated that Spain plays a central role in Ibero-America, as evidenced by the unanimous support received in favour of the designation of our country as the host of the Ibero-American Summit in 2026. At the working breakfast, Albares explained Spain's priorities for this summit, whose pro tempore secretariat will take over as soon as the Cuenca Summit is over.

Multilateralism, Democracy, and Feminism

Spain's commitment to the defence of multilateralism, a world based on rules, democracy and peace was also reaffirmed. The Pact for the Future, which Spain has supported, has been adopted, where the countries give renewed impetus to the fulfillment of the SDGs.

Albares has addressed priorities for Spain such as Feminist Foreign Policy and the defence of democracy in the face of political extremism, polarisation and hate speech. Our country played a leading role during UN Women's Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the HeForShe initiative, as well as a ministerial meeting​ of the Feminist Foreign Policy Plus group, which Spain and Mexico are co-chairing this year.

Bilateral Meetings

President Albares has also held meetings with his counterparts from India, Senegal, Mauritania, Oman, South Korea and Morocco. With his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, he discussed the shared agenda and ratified the excellent relations and cooperation between Spain and Morocco.

During the ministerial meeting with the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, Albares had the opportunity to convey Spain's commitment to the fight against terrorism and its support to victims. On 8 and 9 October, Spain will host the United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism to be held in the city of Vitoria.