Albares defends that the region “does not need more weapons”: Spain is not going to participate “in maintaining that war”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation has denied authorization for a ship transporting weapons destined for Israel to make a stopover and will not allow other vessels in these same circumstances to call at Spanish ports.
This has been reported by diplomatic sources consulted by Europa Press in the context of the controversy raised by the stopover at the port of Cartagena of the freighter ‘Borkum’ after an NGO reported that it was transporting a load of weapons destined for Israel. The Ministry of Transport has already reported that the ship is heading to the Czech Republic.
The sources have indicated that the department headed by José Manuel Albares, in charge of granting authorizations, “will deny transit authorization to make a stopover in Spanish territory to any ship with a shipment of weapons destined for Israel.”
What’s more, sources have added, “there is already one case that has been denied.” As revealed by the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, in a message on
According to specialized navigation websites, it is a Danish-flagged ship that left the port of Madras, in India, on April 8. The last known position of her is in waters off Mauritania.
From Brussels, Albares has reported that it is the first time that a permit has been denied “because it is the first time that we detect a ship that is carrying a shipment of weapons to Israel and that wants to stop at a Spanish port.”
The minister framed the decision in the Government’s policy of “not granting new export licenses for war material destined for Israel.” “This decision is coherent and goes along the same lines. The Middle East, at this time, the last thing it needs is more weapons. What it needs is peace,” he claimed.
“We are not going to participate at all in maintaining and promoting that war,” Albares stressed, emphasizing that what the region needs is “definitive peace.” “That is why we are also going to recognize the Palestinian State. That is why we request a permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of the hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid without obstacles,” he stressed.
Under the 2014 order regulating the integrated procedure for calling ships in ports of general interest, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to grant said authorization.
In the case of the ‘Bokrum’, Foreign Affairs had given its approval for its stopover in the port of Cartagena, as stated in the document shared in X by Minister Puente. In this authorization it is stated that the ship departed from India and has the Czech Republic as its final destination and also that it transports 24 containers of weapons chargers with explosive cargo and eight containers of TNT cartridges.
