Security and Defense Studies Review 2010 Fall ... - Offnews.info

Security Cooperation Between Spain and the AmericasD. Luis Manuel Cuesta CivisThis presentation by the Secretary General for Defense Policy of the Spanish Ministry ofDefense was given at the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies (CHDS) on January 14,2011.IntroductionIt is a great honor for me to deliver a lecture on “Security cooperation between Spain and theAmericas” at this renowned Education and Research Center, one that brings together outstandingcivilian and military professionals interested on Security and Defense of the Americas and “beyond”(as its Director usually emphasizes in the Center’s interesting publications).Within this shared interest, the purpose of my lecture is to analyze the Spanish Defense Policycontext, making a special emphasis on our bonds with this hemisphere.In particular, I will refer to:• Spain-US relations and our common scenarios of action.• The relations of Spain and Ibero-America.• Contributions to hemispheric security.• Final Conclusions.Spanish Defense PolicyLet my introductory words serve to present before you the framework in which Spain conceives itssecurity and defense.In particular, Spain advocates for treating the issues affecting international peace, security andstability, as well as its own defense, through a system of shared security and collective defense, whilemaintaining its own defense capability.Upon the entry into force of the 1978 Spanish Constitution, and in a progressive manner, Spainhas consolidated its participation in international security and defense organizations, so that today wecan say that we are in the “hard core” of security. This integration, along with the changes undergonein the geopolitical and geostrategic context, has affected, over time, how to conceive our Securityand Defense.Thus, several National Defense Directives were enacted, as well as the 2000 White Paper onDefense, and the 2003 Strategic Review. All of them have served as reference for the preparation ofthe two documents which form the basis of our current defense policy.These are the National Defense Law 5/2005 and the National Defense Directive 1/2008, drawnup within the framework of the Inter-ministerial Commission, examined by the National DefenseCouncil and signed by our President of Government on December 30th, 2008.Subsequently, on May 30th, 2009, the Minister of Defense, Carme Chacón, signed the DefensePolicy Directive 1/2009. This Directive started a new cycle of Defense Planning, set the general linesof action, and provided the specific guidelines so that the competent authorities—the Defense Chiefof Staff (JEMAD), the Secretary of State for Defense (SEDEF) and the Under Secretary of StateSecurity and Defense Studies Review 2010 Fall-Winter Issue / Edicíón Otoño-Invierno 2010 / Edicão Outono-Inverno 2010 / Volume 11 147