Press conference by President of the Government

New York

President of the Government: Ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning to you and thank you very much for coming.

As you know, I have just had a meeting with the ambassadors of Spain to the United States and to the United Nations Organisation, the UN, and the Organisation of American States, the OAS. At the meeting we dealt with the fundamental issues that affect Spain, both in bilateral relations with the new US Administration, which as you know will assume its duties of government starting on 20 January; and we have also dealt with the immediate challenges faced by Spain in the two multilateral organisations to which I referred at the start.

But the main reason for my trip to the United States today is to chair the session tomorrow of the United Nations Security Council.

As you all know, for two years Spain has formed part of the United Nations Security Council during which it has played a key role on some very important issues. All the Spanish officials and the Ambassador of Spain to the United Nations should be congratulated on their efforts and the dedication they have offered over these two years. They have been two very important years for improving our position in the United Nations and also our position before all the countries in the world.

I would like in my speech to touch on some matters that appear of particular relevance to me.

First, with respect to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, Resolution 2325, adopted unanimously last week in an open debate chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, opted for a more flexible mechanism that helps prevent attacks. In July 2015, as you no doubt recall, there was a historic agreement on the Iranian nuclear arsenal which took place under the Spanish Presidency. We have also chaired the Sanctions Committee on North Korea.

In the matter of the fight against terrorism, this month Resolution 2322 was approved on judicial cooperation, adopted in the Security Council. It was adopted unanimously at a briefing chaired by the Minister for Justice.

In October 2015 - and now I'm talking about Women, Peace and Security - I had the opportunity to preside here over an open debate that approved Resolution 2242, which allows greater involvement by women in peace building.

And tomorrow I will chair a session which I believe is important, because we are going to talk about people trafficking in situations of conflict, to identify what the Security Council can do to combat people trafficking, particularly when it affects victims of war and terrorism. As you know, conflicts increase the risk of the trafficking of people that armed groups such as DAESH, Boko Haram and other criminal gangs use as weapons of war and finance.

This situation above all, but not exclusively, affects women and girls, and also the refugee camps and internally displaced people who are a target for traffickers. I believe - in fact I am sure - that this will have brought to mind some images that were published recently on different television stations around the world. Well, to combat all this a draft Resolution will be presented tomorrow, which will have to be approved by the Security Council.

And I would now like to refer to Resolution 2328, which was approved today on Aleppo and under the Spanish Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Spain, France, the United States and Russia have reached an agreement that has become a reality in this Security Council Resolution 2328.

I would like to say that Spain has made a significant contribution towards the adoption of this Resolution, exercising its efforts as President of the Council, based on our irrevocable humanitarian convictions.

The Resolution approved today has the aim of ensuring that the evacuation of Aleppo is carried out in conditions of security, in accordance with the principles of international humanitarian law and under the neutral and direct supervision of the United Nations. At the same time, this Resolution calls on all parties to the conflict to facilitate the provision of medical and humanitarian aid to all the population in need, and to respect the safety of health and humanitarian personnel in line with the provisions of United Nations Resolution 2286.

I believe, I repeat, that this is a very important Resolution. This is an issue that we had the chance to deal with last Thursday at the European Council meeting held in Brussels. It is something that concerns, and with reason, anyone who has a shred of human feelings; and of course, all the European governments and also the United Nations. And I believe that this is an important Resolution and a step in the right direction; although there is no doubt that we still have a great deal to do in Aleppo and in Syria as a whole.

I would not like to conclude this speech without mentioning that tomorrow I will confer the Collar of the Order of Civil Merit on the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban ki-Moon. This decoration is well deserved for his work at the head of the United Nations over these years.

Before giving you a chance to ask questions, I would like to make a comment or two about some important issues.

We have learned that a short while ago the Ambassador of Russia in Turkey was attacked in Ankara. The news is still confused. We do not know precisely what the Ambassador's condition is, because we have seen statements saying different things. And in the name of all the people who identify with my words, I would like to hope that the worst has not occurred and that he recovers soon. I would like to condemn this brutal and senseless attack on a person, a public official, who was doing his duty, and I would like on behalf of the Government of Spain, to pass on our solidarity to the people of Russia and its government.

And secondly, I would also like to express my condolences to the families of the people who have died in the regions of Valencia and Murcia. Just now I was talking with the Minister for Home Affairs who is travelling - I don't know whether he has arrived yet or not - to the Region of Murcia. The Government is watching how the situation develops, in strict coordination with the autonomous regions affected and the Ministers for Agriculture and for Home Affairs working together intensely.

I believe that we will soon know the scope of the damage, allocate the aid needed; what we cannot do is, unfortunately, is make all these sad news items I have referred to at the start of this part of my speech go away; but their families have our support, our condolences and our encouragement for the future.

And now, if you want to ask something, feel free.

Q: Mr President of the Government, I have two questions. The first has to do with this morning's Resolution of the United Nations Security Council on Aleppo, because we see many cease-fire resolutions but in the end they are not complied with and there are 40,000 people holed up there. Is there any type of decision on how the United Nations, or the Peace Keepers, or the countries, will help to ensure that this cease fire is actually upheld and people can leave?

And the second has to do with the possible assassination, as it seems now, of the Ambassador of Russia in Turkey. Tomorrow you are going to chair the Security Council of the United Nations and Russia will be there. Relations between Turkey and Russia have been very tense in recent times and I don't know if there may be some consequences as a result.

President of the Government: I understand your concern on the subject of Aleppo because, of course, the conflict in Syria has already been going on for far too long. It has been five years of what is in practice a civil war, with terrorist groups, with problems that have nothing to do with these terrorist groups and with internal problems between the different factions. Really, I believe that the whole international community has to make an effort, each according to its power to act, to resolve this problem as soon as possible.

We've seen everything, even children in schools that have been bombarded. It's a long time since we have seen such an inhuman and lamentable spectacle as this. The Resolution approved at the United Nations Security Council is only a step in the right direction; but given what we are seeing there, it's better to take steps in the right direction than take steps backward or no steps at all. The least that can be demanded in Syria is a cease-fire and the ability to attend to people; there should be healthcare available and the people should be able, perhaps not live decently - because in the situation they are in that is impossible - but as at least with some aid; and people who are there trying to help them should not be the target of attacks or bombing, such as we have witnessed in recent times.

This is a key issue and this has to be a priority for the international community. That is why we have proposed this Resolution, and that is also why it has been approved, because we are all aware not only of the brutality of the images we see on our television screens... I had the opportunity on Thursday to listen live in Brussels to the mayor of Aleppo and his truly remarkable sense of impotence; it was a cry out to heaven.

We have all seen what has occurred when hundreds of thousands of people have abandoned Syria because they have had no other solution. They have moved to Turkey, we've seen what has happened in Europe and really, if the international community wants to rise to the occasion, it would be desirable for this subject to be resolved as soon as possible.

On the subject of Turkey, this is a terrorist attack and it has to be taken as such. As I said earlier, we do not know precisely what the current situation of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey in Ankara is, because the information is contradictory. I believe that relations are improving little by little, just as Turkish relations with other countries are improving. But I believe that beyond relations, there are people, human beings, and among the priorities we should all consider is that what is most important, life and any kind of rights of other people; and then, if it's all right with everyone, we can talk about other things. But that is what is important, and it's a good thing that everyone should be clear on that.

Q: Mr President of the Government, today at your meeting with the ambassadors you talked about the future with the future President of the United States, Donald Trump. What for you are the uncertainties that open up in this new era and how are you going to address them?

And also, are there any kinds of negotiations underway to be able to meet up with Donald Trump? Would you like it to be soon?
President of the Government: With respect to the second question, no. I had a talk with him not long ago, and we gave information about it to public opinion. But Mr Trump has not yet taken over the duties of President of the United States but will do so, I seem to recall on 20 January. So there's no sense that he should be meeting with all kinds of people now, and that is what he told me.

In any event, that is not an important issue; the important issue is what your first question was about. Relations between Spain and the United States are magnificent. We share the same values, the same principles, the idea of democracy, freedom, respect for human rights and the belief in people as the drivers of progress. We are together in some very important institutions, such as NATO itself, and we work together. Not very long ago, in July, the President of the United States, Mr Obama, was there, he visited the American marines in Rota and Morón. What we want, simply is... We have good trade relations. After the European Union, where Spain exports most is to the United States. There are Spanish investments in the United States and US investments, and many, in Spain as well.

Thus relations are good and I don't have any doubt that they will continue to be good in the future, and that if possible we will improve them. That is the frame of mind that the Spanish government will have, and I see no reason, quite the reverse in fact, to think that this will not also be the case with the American government which I wish a great deal of luck to for the future.

Q: I would like to ask you about the budget. After the PSOE announced that it will file a motion to oppose the bill, do you consider that any possibility of Socialist support for the budget is now lost? Do you believe that there is any room for achieving it?

President of the Government: I have a certain tendency to look at the positive side and one very positive piece of news has been the approval - I understand that this is a very technical terminology, but that is what it is called - of the famous "expenditure ceiling" of the Royal Decree-Law on revenues and the distribution of the budget stability targets and public debt. What does this mean? It means that, if the Upper House passes it finally tomorrow, because it will be tomorrow, Tuesday the 20th, we will finally know that we cannot spend more than a certain sum and we will know what our revenues are and we will know how the deficit targets of all the governments are distributed. That is the margin we have.

And now there is the Budget. I am going to try to pass the budget, which is my obligation, and so I will look for votes and support wherever they are. I don't know if the PSOE's position is final or not, but, well, we are going to try to pass the Budget for one reason: because it is not good to be without a Budget and because it is what is good for Spain. With the Budget we can construct public works and we can look after people's needs; without the Budget, that is more difficult.

So I don't consider anything lost or won, and what's more, that is what I am going to do during this term of office, where I believe it will be a time for talking, for engaging in dialogue, and if possible, for coming to understandings and agreements. And I will do everything I can do on that score.

Q: A question about the Constitutional Court. Tomorrow the Lower House will undoubtedly pass the repeal of the reform of the Constitutional Court that allows disqualification of...

President of the Government: We'll see that tomorrow when we debate it.

Q: But that will be linked to the international interest aroused by the case of the President of the Parliament of Catalonia. Are you concerned that the members of parliament in other countries have expressed their anxiety about the judicialisation of Spanish politics?

President of the Government: No, I'm only concerned about one thing, which is that we all have the obligation to comply with the law. I think that is very important. And obviously, those people who have greatest responsibilities have the greatest obligation to comply with the law. If everyone decided that they were not going to comply with the law because they didn't like it, everyone would have the same right to do it, and so it would be very difficult to talk about a democratic State and the rule of law, as we do now.

Thus, I repeat, if anyone has the obligation to comply with the law, which is the expression of the popular will and which is the enshrinement of the rules for living together, it is those of us who have some political responsibility; and if someone believes that they can break the law and do what they consider opportune and convenient, then they are really mistaken, in Spain and in any other part of the world; because that would mean changing to another type of political regime that has nothing to do with normal democracy and with the primacy of the law, which is at the end of the day, the primacy of the will of the majority.

Thank you very much.