Spanish PM Rajoy receives visit of Portuguese counterpart

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday received his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa at his official visit in the Palacio de la Moncloa in Madrid.

Costa is the first foreign leader to visit Spain since Rajoy's return to office at the end of October, which highlights the good relationship between the two neighboring countries.

In a meeting described "as a working meeting followed by lunch," the two leaders discussed bilateral issues, as well as European and international affairs, such as the questions to be dealt with at the forthcoming meeting of the European Council on Dec. 15-16.

"The leader of Portugal will always be welcome in Spain," said Rajoy in the posterior press conference.

When asked about the results of the U.S. elections later in the conference, Rajoy said he "respected the wishes of the American people in their election" in choosing Donald Trump.

"Spain will continue working to cultivate our relationship with a national that is both an ally and a friend," he said, refusing to be drawn on the recent meeting between U.S. president-elect Trump and Nigel Farage, the leader of British euro-sceptic party, UKIP.

"I am not going to comment on the meeting, he (Trump) can meet whoever he wants to meet," commented Rajoy.

The Spanish prime minister also highlighted the importance to combat climate change, stressing that his new government had "remitted the Paris Climate Change agreement to Parliament," something that the lack of government in Spain had not permitted for the past 10 months. Endit