Spanish PM calls for int'l cooperation to face jihadism threats

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Monday that jihadism is the main threat countries bathed by the Mediterranean Sea have to face.

Rajoy made the remarks during his speech at the Informal Ministerial Meeting on the future of European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), which is being held here on Monday.

Rajoy said jihadism was a direct threat to the participant countries of the meeting, highlighting that the Islamic world was also a victim. "It beats all of us, no matter our geographical location or religion", he said.

Rajoy praised Spanish security forces in general, especially for the recently detentions carried out in Catalonia by the Catalan police, Mossos d'Esquadra, who arrested 11 people on charges of belonging to a jihadist organization.

He emphasized the role of international cooperation in order to face these threats. He urged countries to cooperate, prioritizing "the things that bind us together as opposed to the ones that separate us".

The ENP was last reviewed in 2011 and due to important developments happening in the neighborhood region, ENP partner countries aim at revising it in order to improve it.

"The ENP is an excellent tool", Rajoy said, adding that it needs to be modernized in order to fulfill its role effectively.

According to the European Commission, "five areas where both sides share common interests have already been identified: trade and economic development; connectivity; security; governance; migration and mobility."

Meanwhile, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said cooperation to fight jihadism should take place in many areas, namely culture, security and economy.

She emphasized that in spite of the differences between the countries, "we are in this together", sharing the sea and many interests and urged to work together "investing politically" in their relationships.

"A review of our policy is essential but our relationship as well", she said at the meeting, adding that participant countries at the meeting "have to talk more".

At the meeting, representatives analyzed how to reinforce cooperation in common issues such as fight against terrorism, energy and illegal immigration.

The meeting was organized by Spain, the European Commission and Latvia, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Apart from EU countries, representatives from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon also attended the meeting. Endit