"Spain and US: Strong Partners", Op-Ed by Ambassador Solomont, El Mundo, May 7, 1010

Ambassador Solomont

Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden’s visit to Madrid this week underscores the depth and significance of one of the United States’ most important bilateral relationships. The Vice President will meet with His Majesty King Juan Carlos, President Zapatero, and senior members of the Spanish government to discuss the many areas in which our vibrant partnership advances our shared interests and values and promotes peace and security throughout the world.

There are many ties that bind our nations and our peoples: shared history, culture, traditions, and language. There are many fingerprints on American soil of the Spanish legacy, particularly in the American southwest. The United States is now the country with the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world. And both our countries share a deep and abiding kinship with Latin America.

Vice President Biden has decades of experience in international affairs acquired over many years in the United States Senate, including as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. He has learned that we can accomplish so much more in the world when we draw on the values and interests that unite us and work towards common goals.

President Obama has said the problems of the world are too big to be solved by the United States alone, but no big problem can be solved without the United States. Thus, the President has adopted a multilateral approach that seeks to address the greatest global challenges through dialogue and consensus. In every aspect of our foreign policy, the U.S. has sought the support of other nations and international institutions, and in each instance, we have looked to Spain as an important ally. Spain has been a strong bilateral partner, and, especially during its presidency of the European Union, a leader and example to other European Union members in many ways.

Today, Spain and the United States are working together more closely than ever. While in Spain, Vice President Biden will visit with the elite Brigada Paracaidista of the Spanish Army to acknowledge their contributions – and those of other Spanish military units – to peace and security around the world. We applaud Spain’s commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission in Afghanistan and its understanding that confronting terrorists and violent extremists there is critical to the wellbeing and safety of Spanish and American citizens. No government takes lightly a decision to step into harm’s way; however, the leading role of the Spanish military in the United Nations mission in Lebanon, in the European Union mission in Bosnia, and in protecting commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean further demonstrates Spain’s increasingly important contributions to peace and security around the world.

Examples of the new and closer ties between the governments of Spain and the United States go far beyond Vice President Biden’s visit. The Vice President met with President Zapatero in Chile last spring. King Juan Carlos and President Zapatero have been warmly received at the White House. Many Spanish ministers have met with their counterparts in President Obama’s cabinet, either here or in Washington. Some of these meetings have been hosted by the Spanish presidency of the European Union, but many have been held on bilateral issues. In April, Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano came to Madrid for consultations with our Spanish and European Union partners.

As a result of the good relations between our governments, starting with President Obama and President Zapatero, Spain and the United States are cooperating more closely than ever on a host of issues, including counter terrorism, law enforcement, narcotics trafficking, seaport security, and climate change, to name a few.

The United States also deeply appreciates Spain’s willingness to help achieve a priority of the Obama Administration: the closing of the detention facility at Guantanamo.

Spain is an ardent supporter of President Obama’s goal of reducing the number of nuclear weapons and stopping their spread, and President Zapatero was a welcome participant in the summit hosted by President Obama in Washington last month to focus attention on the dangers of nuclear weapons. Spain has provided essential leadership in uniting Europe on this issue and has been a consistent voice in the European Union advocating a strong response to Iran’s nuclear program.

Partnership between our countries is not limited to our governments. Our economic ties also have never been stronger. The United States is the largest foreign investor in Spain, and Spanish investment in the U.S. has accelerated dramatically in recent years, making Spain the tenth-largest investor in the U.S. We believe that trade and investment between the U.S. and Spain in both directions is beneficial for both countries and that increasing our economic ties is as important as increasing ties between our governments. Investment creates jobs, promotes innovation, and creates ripples of economic activity that generate additional growth. The surge of Spanish investment in renewable energy in more than 20 U.S. states is a dramatic example of these benefits as it creates jobs in both countries, encourages innovation, fights climate change, promotes energy independence, and lays the foundation for sustainable growth.

These are difficult economic times, and the worldwide financial crisis has affected us all. As United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner has said, we may not all be in the same boat, but we have all been caught in the same storm. We support the Spanish government’s efforts to reduce its fiscal deficit and to pursue financial sector restructuring and labor market reforms that will promote economic growth.

Spain and the United States are also working to meet humanitarian challenges around the globe. We share President Zapatero’s strong personal commitment to food security, and Spain is the second largest provider of development aid in Latin America, behind only the United States. When the devastating earthquake struck Haiti earlier this year, together Spain and the United States led international efforts to respond to the tragedy and were among the most generous nations providing immediate humanitarian aid and pledging significant development and recovery assistance.

Our governments and our people share very similar goals for the world we live in. As the United States Ambassador, I intend to work hard every day to help achieve those goals, of creating a more peaceful world, a world in which understanding replaces animosity, prosperity reduces poverty and freedom creates opportunity. The Government of the United States is grateful for Spain’s partnership, friendship, and collaboration in striving towards those goals.

Vice President Biden’s visit affirms these common interests and our commitment to this relationship and to a partnership that grows stronger every day.