Foreign Secretary meets the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs for talks in Madrid

The Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, met yesterday in Madrid. This was the Foreign Secretary’s first bilateral European visit in her first 100 days in office.

The Ministers agreed to work closely across the international agenda including on combating malign actors, tackling illegal migration and the upcoming NATO summit in Madrid in 2022. They agreed to work on new energy and tech collaborations.

Both underlined the strength of our economic and commercial relations, and the importance of contacts between our societies and citizens – a truly special aspect of our bilateral relationship.

The Foreign Ministers welcomed the constructive nature of negotiations between the EU and the UK in respect of Gibraltar and reaffirmed their shared commitment to the Political Framework of 2020, and agreed that it is in everyone’s interest to aim to conclude these talks in Q1 2022. The UK maintained its position on the sovereignty of Gibraltar.