Spanish, Polish FMs discuss EU future
The future of the EU and European integration were among the main themes of Tuesday's talks in Warsaw between Polish and Spanish Foreign Ministers Jaczek Czaputowicz and Joseph Borrell Fontelles.
Czaputowicz said after the talks that it was important for the EU members to stay united in the face of the geopolitical challenges ahead of the community.
"The European Union faces multiple challenges and it is important to maintain unity among the member states, because only a united, strong and secure Europe will be able to respond quickly to geopolitical challenges, and here, cooperation between our countries is crucial," Czaputowicz said.
He added that both Spain and Poland were in favor of further improvements in EU institutions, also in the context of this May's elections to the European Parliament.
Commenting on the European integration process, Czaputowicz observed that it could not be limited to undertakings by Germany and France, and stressed that "ambitious medium-sized countries" like Spain and Poland should also have a part in it if the European project was to work.
"Two important EU members, Poland and Spain, should cooperate, then together we will be able to contribute a lot to the European project. We can't limit (...) European integration to cooperation between Germany and France. We need ambitious medium-sized countries like Poland and Spain for the European project to be complete," the Polish FM said.
Czaputowicz remarked that Poland and Spain belonged to the Group of Friends of Cohesion Policy and stood for the continuation of the EU's traditional policies. He added that both countries plan to work together on an ambitious new EU budget and support strong ties between the EU and the US.
He added that Poland supported Spain in its demands for tightening control of the EU's outer borders and for more supervision over the migration wave to Europe.
Asked about a possible postponement of Brexit over failure to reach a satisfactory severance agreement, Czaputowicz said he was sure solutions to the problem will be sought "in consideration of the best interests of Europe." He added that if Britain asks for the postponement at this Thursday's EU summit, both countries "will try to find a solution that answers the United Kingdom's proposals in the greatest possible degree."
Fontelles said Poland and Spain were a driving force of European integration despite their differences. He stressed that the May elections to the EP will be especially important in light of rising social unrest in many EU countries, and observed that Britain's plea for extra Brexit negotiation time was understandable, as London rejected the existing accord but did not want a no-deal Brexit.(PAP)
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