Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey

Minister Dastis highlighted to his counterpart the very special importance that Spain assigns to relations with Turkey. He also took the opportunity to once again unreservedly condemn the frustrated coup d'état in July 2016, as well as to express Spain's solidarity over the terrorist barbarism suffered by Turkey.

Minister Dastis also recalled the need to keep the counter-terrorism struggle within the framework of respect for the rule of law, the principles of proportionality and the presumption of innocence, fundamental rights and liberties and, in particular, the protection and acknowledgement of the victims of terrorism.

At a bilateral level, the two ministers reviewed the state of economic relations and investment possibilities with particular interest, as well as the calendar for bilateral visits at different tiers of government.

As regards EU issues, Alfonso Dastis reminded his counterpart of Spain's support for continuation of accession negotiations and thanked the Turkish Government for its efforts in fully complying with the EU-Turkey Agreement on Migration.

Finally, another of the issues tackled at the meeting was the strategy for the Alliance of Civilisations, the situation in Syria and the Middle East and relations with the new United States Administration.