Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has dropped a bombshell by revealing that the recognition of the Palestinian state is on the agenda of the government in Madrid.
Borrell made the revelation hours before arriving in the Austrian city of Salzburg along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to attend a two-day European Union summit on migration and Brexit.
Spain’s FM said Madrid would give its European partners an acceptable deadline to reach consensus on the issue.
Each state would be allowed to take the decision it deems appropriate if the EU fails to reach a consensual decision, he said.
But Borrell stressed that Spain would engage in heavy diplomatic activities with its European counterparts to achieve a common stance on the matter.
Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that the Spanish Foreign Minister has lately contacted the Palestinian leadership and discussed the recognition issue with his French and German counterparts.
He and Sanchez are keen to recognize the Palestinian state similar to Sweden, which became the first EU member in western Europe to make the move in 2014.
