The Spanish government is planning a major tourism strategic project for the Middle East which will include Jordan, ambassador to Jordan Aranzazu Banon told the Cosmopolitan Rotary Club in Amman Wednesday. “While only 3% of our exports are made to the MENA region we can’t deny that we have benefited from the crisis in the Middle east with more tourists coming to Spain from the Middle East.”

Banon said  at the Rotary luncheon held in the Four Season Hotel that Spain which received 83 million tourists last year is the second highest tourism destination in the world after France. “The Spanish people are welcoming people and there is mutual genuine affection between Spain and Jordan.”

Regarding the Middle East conflict, Banon said that the Spanish parliament voted in 2014 to urge Madrid to recognize Palestine. “It has been four years and there has been no movement, but we still would like to make the recognition as part of an effective effort in coordination with the European Union.

The Spanish diplomat insisted that her country has pursued democracy for decades. “We have been a democracy for 40 years since the 1978 constitution and the success of Spain is a miracle.”

On the issue of the people of Catalina seeking self-determination the Spanish ambassador to Jordan explained to Rotarians that issue very complicated and it is not clear what Catalonians want.  She rejected claims that her country is acting in an undemocratic way towards citizens living in Catalonia or the Bask region. “There are no political prisoners iقالتn our country and Catalonia is not occupied areas. There are politicians in jail sent there by judges because they broke the law.” She said that while there is no provision for cessation in the Spanish constitution legal parties in Catalonia are allowed to work that make that demand.