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The new Spanish Ambassador to Estonia presented his credentials to the President of the Republic

22.02.2008

Yesterday in Kadriorg, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves received Eduardo Ibánes López-Dóri, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, who presented his credentials.

“The focus of the relations between Estonia and Spain has increasingly shifted from bilateral issues to European and international questions and we have worked together to develop several policies. Whereas Estonia and Spain agree in many areas – in cooperation related to the European Union, a strong and undivided Europe is the goal of both countries,” President Ilves said.

At the meeting with the Ambassador, the Head of State highlighted cultural relations between the two countries, which have gained new momentum after a cultural and educational cooperation agreement came into force in November 2007. According to President Ilves, there is definitely room for improving economic relations between Estonia and Spain—in 2007, Spain was 25th in the ranking of Estonia’s trading partners with a total trade turnover of 1.38 billion EEK.

At the meeting, the Estonian Memory Institute recently created under the leadership of President Ilves was also under discussion, and the Head of State expressed his hope that Spain could share its experiences with dealing with and clarifying the problems of recent history.

The Estonian Head of State made a state visit to Spain last July, where he met with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, Manuel Marín González, the President of the Congress of Deputies, as well as Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. At today’s meeting, the Head of State reminded the Ambassador that it would be a great honor if the Spanish Royal Couple would make a visit to Estonia at the first opportunity convenient for them.

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