November 20 – Madrid – An AJC leadership delegation has concluded a four-day visit to Madrid, where it met with Spanish government officials, media and Jewish community leaders.

AJC´s interlocutors included Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos; Secretary General of the Presidency Bernardino Leon, the key foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Zapatero; Javier Moreno, director of the leading Spanish newspaper El Pais; the leadership of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE); and American and Israeli diplomats.

“As Spain assumes the EU presidency in January, consultation with key Spanish officials is particularly constructive,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris, who led the delegation. “Spain will be counted upon to lead Europe in standing firm against Iran´s nuclear ambitions.”

Harris was the concluding speaker at the Second International Seminar on Anti-Semitism, co-sponsored by the FCJE, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Casa Sefarad-Israel. He also addressed leading public officials and nongovernmental representatives at a luncheon organized by Casa Sefarad.

“We welcome the Spanish government´s acknowledgement of an ongoing problem of anti-Semitism within Spain, and seeking to take strong and principled action to combat it,” Harris said.

“Spain also plays a key role as a channel to Latin America,” said Harris. “We encourage the Spanish government to continue its vigilant monitoring of the situation of Venezuela´s imperiled Jewish community.” AJC´s Latino and Latin American Institute participated in the visit, represented by its director, Dina Siegel Vann, and advisor, Fred Pressner, the past president of the Venezuelan Jewish community.

AJC has maintained longstanding contacts with Spanish officials and civil society. The FCJE is one of AJC´s 29 international partners.