- Title: Spain's FM Borrell reacts to protests, Brexit
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) SPAIN'S FOREIGN MINISTER JOSEP BORRELL AT HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WALKING OUTSIDE OF THE DIPLOMATIC WAITING AREA SIGN THAT READS DIPLOMATIC WAITING AREA GENERAL VIEW OF BORRELL SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, JOSEP BORRELL, SAYING: "The right to protest is guaranteed in Spain as long as it is carried out according to the laws and in a peaceful way. The acts of vandalism and the extreme situations that we have seen in some cities is a completely different thing, particularly in some of Barcelona's streets. And as the president said yesterday, there is no room for that, the government will not tolerate it." GENERAL VIEW OF BORRELL SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, JOSEP BORRELL, SPEAKING ABOUT BREXIT, SAYING: "It is a huge relief because a hard Brexit, in other words, a Brexit without an agreement would have been really bad for everyone, everyone, for the British, and for those of us who remain in the European Union. The Spanish government carried out its due diligence and was ready to confront that situation but it's so much better not having to be ready for that. The agreement that has been reached is wired to all of the Europeans and was reached at the last minute which is typical for Europe. The United Kingdom has given up on some of their initial positions and an agreement has been reached that I hope will be ratified by the British Parliament." BORRELL WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 20:06
- Keywords: Cuba Spain Foreign Minister Brexit Barcelona protests
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HMLON
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said on Thursday (October 17) the right to protest was a guarantee in Spain and expressed relief that the UK had reached a Brexit agreement, avoiding the so-called hard Brexit alternative.
"The right to protest is guaranteed in Spain as long as it is carried out according to the laws and in a peaceful way," Borrell said at the Havana airport.
"The acts of vandalism and the extreme situations that we have seen in some cities is a completely different thing, particularly in some of Barcelona's streets," he added.
Regarding Brexit, Borrell said although Spain had prepared for the possibility of a hard Brexit, it was best to avoid that altogether.
"A Brexit without an agreement would have been really bad for everyone, everyone, for the British and for those of us who remain in the European Union. The Spanish government carried out its due diligence and was ready to confront that situation but it's so much better not having to be ready for that," Borrell said.
Borrell was in Cuba for an official visit during which he confirmed Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia would visit the island in November for the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the founding of Havana.
The visit will be a welcome sign of support for Cuba which is facing increasing U.S. hostility. Spain and its former colony have improved ties in recent years within the broader normalization of relations between the European Union and Cuba.
This will be the first time a Spanish king makes an official visit to the island. Felipe's father King Juan Carlos had travelled to Cuba twice but to attend an Ibero-American summit in 2016 and the funeral of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.
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