RIYADH: Spain is keen to strengthen its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia and further develop bilateral cooperation, the country’s envoy to the Kingdom has said.
Speaking at a reception held at the Spanish Embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday to mark the National Day of Spain, Ambassador Jorge Hevia noted that a joint committee meeting was due to take place in Spain on Oct. 20 to discuss ways of boosting economic links between the two nations.
On behalf of Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Riyadh Mayor Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf attended the event.
Hevia recently told Arab News: “On Oct. 12, the National Day of Spain, we Spaniards solemnly commemorate a turning point in our collective history: Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the shores of America in 1492.
“The date chosen symbolizes a historical juncture, when Spain, about to conclude a process leading to the founding of a state based on cultural and political plurality and the integration of various kingdoms under the same monarchy, began a period of linguistic and cultural expansion beyond European borders.
“It was then that a great process of fusion began — uniting initially Europeans with the American indigenous populations and later with peoples from Africa — giving rise to the Latin America of our time,” the envoy added.
The maintenance of those Saudi-Spanish ties was based on deep historical roots and the special relationship between the royal families of Spain and Saudi Arabia, Hevia said.
