23 May 2012

UN / BENITO DE SECADES

Speaking about the recent controversy over Argentina’s nationalization of the oil and gas company Repsol YPF, Spain’s Foreign Minister Gonzalo de Benito Secades said today that relations with Argentina are “good” and that all that Spain demands is “juridical security”, which he said not only benefits corporations but is good for Argentina and the region. UNTV

Posted at: May 23, 2012 5:47 pm

Duration: 01:48

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / BENITO DE SECADES
TRT: 1.48
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters

23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

2. Wide shot, Spanish Secretary of State Gonzalo Benito de Secades walks up to the stakeout position

FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

3. Close up, reporter's laptop computer

23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Gonzalo de Benito Secades, Secretary of State, Spain:
"We have seen that Morocco has expressed that it has lost confidence in the Personal Envoy, but we hope that this situation will be resolved and of course as always we are ready to work with Morocco, with Polisario, with all the interested parties to find a solution to this problem. Of course, as I said, we are following closely the statements given over the last few days, but we hope that we can arrive at a solution on this point."

FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

5. Close up, reporter's notepad

23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Gonzalo de Benito Secades, Secretary of State, Spain:
"What we cannot accept is that since mid-March, since 14 March, the Gibraltar authorities prohibit Spanish fishing boats from fishing under the conditions established since 1999, preventing them from accessing a resource from which approximately 300 families depend on in the Algeciras and La Linea area."

FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

7. Close up, reporter's notepad

23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Gonzalo de Benito Secades, Secretary of State, Spain:
"Relations with Argentina are good. We believe that in this kind of situations we have to look at the principles. What the Spanish Government has said is that we want juridical security for businesses, but not because Spanish businesses, or the Spanish Government or multinational corporations demand it, but because it is beneficial for Argentina and the whole region. The perception of juridical insecurity or instability for businesses, whether they are from Spain, multinational or from elsewhere, is bad for Argentina."

FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

9. Close up, reporter's notepad

23 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

10. Zoom out, de Benito Secades walks away from the stakeout position.

STORYLINE:

Spain's Secretary of State Gonzalo de Benito Secades briefed journalists today (23 May) on a variety of issues on his country's agenda.

On the recent statements by Moroccan officials criticizing the Secretary General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, as being biased, de Benito expressed hope that the situation will be resolved and said that Spain was "ready to work with Morocco, with Polisario, with all the interested parties to find a solution to this problem."

The UN has been trying to help resolve the dispute over the status of Western Sahara through the efforts of the Personal Envoy.

Morocco has presented a plan for autonomy while the position of the Frente Polisario is that the territory's final status should be decided in a referendum on self-determination that includes independence as an option.

On the Gibraltar issue, de Benito Secades rejected the recent decision by the local authorities to ban Spanish fishing boats from fishing in the area, reversing the conditions established since 1999, and "preventing them from accessing a resource from which approximately 300 families depend on in the Algeciras and La Linea area."

Gibraltar, located in the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula has been under British control for over three centuries.

Speaking about the recent controversy over Argentina's nationalization of the Spanish oil and gas company Repsol YPF, Spain's Foreign Minister said that relations with Argentina are "good" and that all that Spain demands is "juridical security", noting that "the perception of juridical insecurity or instability for businesses, whether they are from Spain, multinational or from elsewhere, is bad for Argentina."

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina signed a bill earlier this month nationalizing a majority of the company's shares. Repsol is suing the Argentinean Government for $10.5 billion in compensation.

Filed under 01. - POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUESTIONS 01.01.00 - POLITICAL CONDITIONS, INSTITUTIONS, MOVEMENTS 01.02.00 - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SPAIN UNTV - United Nations Television.