The Spanish Contribution to European Security and Defense

Abstract

The author examines Spain’s material and intellectual contributions to European security and defense. In the first place, he provides an overview of the changes in the personal qualifications of the Spanish Armed Forces and in the mentality of the military officials in adapting to the work of international organisms and to cooperation in broadlydefined schemes of security. On this point, he highlights the Spanish contribution to the missions carried out by the United Nations, OSCE and the WEU. With respect to NATO, Félix Sanz analyzes the Spanish participation before and after this country’s integrationin military structure and in the operative plans of the Alliance. Sanz also underscores the contribution made to multinational forces such as Eurocorps, Eurofor/Euromarfor, the Italian-Spanish amphibious force and, in the future, the European air group. He discussesSpain’s support for other bilateral forums for security, in particular the relation with the United States. In the area of intellectual contributions, the author underlines this country’sinterest in bringing about a convergence of defense forces, Spain’s support for a multinational military and its willingness to collaborate in the design of European defense.