Since 1982 up to the present time, Spanish foreign policy has been deployed to strenghten Spain's Western and European dimension, thus bringing to an end 150 years of isolation from Europe (EEC, NATO and WEU).

In addition, the other two essential geographical dimensions of Spain's foreign influence -Latin America and the Mediterranean- have also been strengthened. Special sensivity has been shown on the issue of human rights and international co-operation.

1. THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY:

The process leading to Spanish membership of the European Community culminated on January 1st, 1986, after the signing of the Treaty for the Accession of Spain to the EEC, on June 12th 1985 in the Royal Palace in Madrid. This provided Spanish foreign policy with a new dimension within the framework of European Political Co-operation. The firm Spanish support for the strenghtening of the Community process led to the ratification by the two Houses, with the virtually unanimous support of the political forces, of the Treaty on European Union. In the Treaty on EU provision has been made for the setting in motion of European Monetary Union and a common foreign and security policies.

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2. THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE:

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3. RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES:

The other aspect of Spanish security and defence was defence co-operation with the United States.

The origin of this relationship goes back to September 26th, 1953, with the signing of the Conventions on Economic Aid and Mutual Defence. In 1968, a period of consultations began for the purpose of drafting the Friendship and Co-operation Agreement which was signed on 06-08-1970 and was confirmed with the status of a Treaty in January 1976, valid until May 1982. Subsequently, the wen Friendship, Defence and Co-operation Agreement was signed (2-7-82). In 1984, talks began on the reduction of the presence of American forces on Spanish territory, leading to the signing of the Defence Co-operation Agreement of 1-12-1988, which came into force on 4-5-89.

4. LATIN AMERICA:

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5. MEDITERRANEAN AREA:

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The EC's Renewed Mediterranean Policy, which will be in force in the 1992-1996 period, grants more importance to financial aid for the Mediterranean countries. The aid allocated to the South and East Mediterranean countries amounts to a total of 4,405 million ECU, a 150% increase over the preceeding period. Furthermore,a special item amounting to 2,030 million ECU is allocated to regional aid. The aid earmarked for the Maghreb countries and specified in the financial protocols is increased from 787 million to 1,072 million ECU. Furthermore, a special item of 300 million is provided to back up economic reform processes.

The evolution of Net Official Development Aid granted by EU states to the Maghreb countries reveals that Morocco and Algeria are the countries to receive most funds. Spain being one of the major donors to the latter. The same cannot be said of the other Maghreb countries where, despite the growing volume of the funds sent by Spain, it does not take a foremost position among the donors.

6. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION:

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7. HUMAN RIGHTS:

Spain is also pursuing an active policy for the promotion of Human Rights internationally, using both bilateral diplomacy and, above all, multilateral machinery. This kind of action has led to Spain being chosen for the first time as a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

In consonance with the approach outlined in the PSOE election programme, the government has speeded up the ratification by Spain of the most imprtant international conventions on human righst, including the United Nations and Council of Europe conventions on torture; the Protocols of both organizations for the abolition of the death penalty and the United Nations Conventions on the rights of women and children.

Finally, we may single out the election of Spain by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the two-year period 1993-94, which entails recognition of the efforts made for the sake of peace and the United Nations system in the last few years.