Good afternoon everyone. Thank you all for attending.
Mr. Prime Minister Benkirane, on this, my first trip as President of the Government of Spain to the Kingdom of Morocco, which is now coming to an end, I would like to express my profound gratitude to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI and to my counterpart, Prime Minister Benkirane.
I have held a very satisfactory and pleasant work meeting with Prime Minister Benkirane, which I am sure will be the first of many.
During the meeting, we tackled issues on the bilateral agenda, with special emphasis on economic cooperation, matters of home affairs and cultural cooperation, as well as relations between Morocco and the European Union and the situation in the region.
I was subsequently received by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to whom I conveyed the warm greetings of His Majesty the King of Spain. Our talks tackled relations between our two countries in a constructive forward-thinking atmosphere of friendship and cooperation.
My visit to Morocco, the first I have made as President of the Spanish Government abroad, reflects the strategic importance of relations between our two countries and that the Government of Spain considers a democratic, prosperous and stable Morocco to be a fundamental pillar of its foreign policy.
Through this visit, I seek to open up a new era, strengthening even further the privileged relations of friendship and good neighbourliness that already exist between the Kingdoms of Spain and Morocco.
The fact that the two Governments have been formed almost at the same time is an opportunity that I would like to take advantage of to look to the future and see what we can achieve together. I shall, of course, be working on all matters that involve cooperation and construction.
I consider myself to be a friend of Morocco and I will commit to a better mutual understanding, because I believe that you can only appreciate those you know.
I will work to strengthen relations and exchanges in all areas, from economic and trade to university education, science and sport.
We have agreed, both with His Majesty the King and with the Prime Minister, to hold a High Level Meeting between the two new governments this year, and hence ministerial contact will began shortly in preparation for this. The last High Level Meeting took place more than three years ago, in December 2008, in Madrid.
This will be the tenth summit between the two governments, and will coincide with the twenty-first anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation. This summit will help enhance and strengthen our strategic relations even further.
I seek to have fluid and effective dialogue with the new Prime Minister of Morocco, Mr. Benkirane, to make dialogue and cooperation the core tool of our work. We need more enhanced economic cooperation and greater involvement from civil society.
I strongly support the reform process driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI which has placed Morocco at the vanguard of the Arab world. It is an example to be followed by many other countries. Spain will walk by Morocco's side to help contribute to the success of these political, economic and social reforms, because I sincerely believe that no other country in the world is more interested than Spain in counting on a democratic, prosperous and stable Morocco.
In this increasingly globalised and interdependent world, we have to take advantage of the assets of each country for mutual benefit. We are two kingdoms with many centuries of history behind us and the close ties maintained between our two monarchs are our first and most important asset, as well as an example of understanding between neighbours.
We have a unique geo-strategic situation at the gateway to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, between Africa and Europe. This is another asset that we should take advantage of by driving energy, transport and communication inter-relations.
Hence Spain has been decisive for Morocco to achieve advanced status with the European Union and in 2010, the first and to date only European Union-Morocco Summit was held in Granada.
Together we have implemented the so-called Rabat Process for the organised and global management of migration, which has become a model for many other countries.
There are five to six million Spanish speakers in Morocco, in addition to almost one million Moroccans who currently live in Spain. My Government will support all measures that enhance better knowledge and the spread of the Spanish language in Morocco.
Morocco is our third largest market in the world outside of the European Union. Our trade exchanges are sold to Morocco. Close to 20,000 Spanish companies export to Morocco and we have more than 800 companies established here. We are the second leading trade partner and investor in Morocco.
I am one of many Spaniards convinced that the security, stability and prosperity of Morocco are to a great extent also the security, stability and prosperity of Spain. To that end, I will work resolutely with the conviction that what unites us is stronger than what can separate us.
I would particularly like to thank the Prime Minister of Morocco for his attention, his candour and his cordiality today. I will never forget it.
Thank you very much.