The head of business at the United States Embassy in Madrid, last Thursday at his residence Samuel Sanchez
The Charge d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Spain, Conrad Tribble (Los Angeles, 57 years old), describes as "very close, warm and positive" the conversation that the Spanish Foreign Minister, Arancha González Laya, held last Tuesday with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, ("it really was not a courtesy call, it was an in-depth dialogue," he insists), the first high-level contact between the Spanish government and the new Joe Biden Administration.
Conrad, responsible for relations with Spain after the departure of Ambassador Duke Buchan III, on the same day as Biden's inauguration, downplays the fact that the new US president has not yet called Pedro Sánchez, although he has already spoken with a score of international leaders, and he does not believe that it is a symptom of a loss of interest in Spain.
“I'm not counting [how many Biden has already called].
Spain has not lost any weight.
I cannot say when that conversation will take place, but the relationship is in very good condition and there is interest on both sides to improve it.
The important thing is that there is an active and very broad dialogue;
the other depends on the White House and how the work is organized.
I would just add: the president has many domestic challenges in the United States. "
Ask.
The tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration over the dispute between Airbus and Boeing have clouded relations with the EU.
In addition, Spain has had particular penalties imposed on products such as table olives.
Will there be any change in this protectionist policy?
Answer.
There is a very high interest in seeking solutions to the dispute with the EU, but we are awaiting the incorporation of a new chief negotiator in trade matters.
It is true that there are other tariffs that are of interest to Spain and have a different legal basis than the Airbus-Boeing disagreement.
There is a will to eliminate [these elements] irritating, but also legal processes that must be followed and economic interests that are legitimate.
Q.
You were stationed in Cuba at the time when Obama normalized diplomatic relations with the island.
Will they return to that policy?
R.
The issue of Cuba is under review.
Obama marked a new policy and many of the [diplomatic] colleagues who have returned to the Administration are aware of this experience: Secretary Blinken has spoken of the appeal of the approach to support independent sectors in Cuba such as the private sector, activists, rights defenders humans, and so on.
His inclination is there, but there is still a person responsible for Latin America in the State Department, we are still at the beginning.
P.
The EU recognizes Guaidó as leader of the opposition, but no longer as president in charge ...
R.
We continue to recognize Juan Guaidó as interim president and the Assembly elected in 2015 as the only legitimate one.
It remains true that there is an authoritarian regime, a dictator, a humanitarian crisis and a crisis of legitimacy of the institutions.
Now we must work together with countries like Spain (this is an important issue for Spain that the two ministers spoke about) to find a solution, with an effort of consultations with allies in Europe and in the region.
Q.
Will this Administration review Trump's decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara?
R.
We know that it is an important issue for Spain.
It is one of the many issues that are being reviewed.
There are talks with all the actors in the framework of the UN but we have not made any decisions.
Secretary Blinken said he wants to understand the context and the commitments [made].
Q.
This decision was made unilaterally and the new Administration says it is betting on multilateralism.
R.
Is it a question?
Q.
Think of it this way.
R.
What I can reaffirm is that this Administration seeks consultation with allies and support for multilateral institutions such as the UN and any decision made in a case like this would be within that framework.
P.
How do you see the situation in Spain?
R.
I am a diplomat.
I have no observations on Spanish politics or on decisions made by the Spanish people.
Q.
I ask you about stability.
A.
I have no worries.
We have a strong and important friend in Spain.
Like other countries, Spain has been quite affected by the covid, but the Spanish people are strong and have endured, maintaining friendship with us.
Spain is a country with many strengths and the potential for the economic relationship with the United States is very high.
That can grow.
We have to overcome the crisis and work for recovery, but the future is very positive.
Q.
You are not concerned about the presence in the Spanish Government of a party like Podemos, which has had links with the Venezuelan regime.
R.
We have a very strong relationship with the Government and we work well with the Government and we do not get involved in how the Government of an allied country is built.
We work with the government that is in office and we do it with pleasure.
I see, like any observer ... It is important in foreign policy that each country has a clear message, speaks with a united and strong voice, but that applies to all countries.
Q.
The previous Administration had a certain obsession with increasing military spending ...
R.
It is still important that all the allies fulfill their commitments, that has not changed, that the tone of the discussion is different as well.
Q.
Are the guarantees required by the Spanish Government from Chinese companies to participate in the 5G network sufficient?
A.
Concern for the security of telecommunications networks has not changed with the Biden Administration.
Spain is following the EU framework, which we know well and find it appropriate, we have had a very productive dialogue [with the Spanish authorities] and we are observing the process of approval and implementation of the law.
We believe that a company like Huawei, so connected to the Chinese government and security forces, cannot be a trusted supplier of critical infrastructure.
And I have the impression that Spain recognizes that.
Q.
What do you think that Spain is already applying its own
Google rate
?
R.
The tax model for the digital economy has to be multilateral.
We are not in favor of unilateral taxes, we have said it clearly, with the previous Administration and with this one.
There is a process in the OECD in which we are looking for a multilateral solution.
That is what we favor and we must return to those negotiations.
Q.
The fact that, in the meantime, Spain is already applying a tax on digital services, could it damage the relationship with Washington?
R.
We have a very strong and positive relationship, there will always be issues on which we will more or less agree, but that does not harm the relationship.
Q.
A political pact was reached in 2015 with the last Democratic Administration on the withdrawal of the contaminated lands from Palomares that never materialized.
Could it be recovered now?
A.
Possibly, but it is an issue that we would have to address and I cannot predict where we would go.