that our country was making a bid, through membership, «above all and first and foremost, for the defence of freedom, pluralist democracy and human rights». In the same vein, Prime Minister Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, said on June 10th of that same year at NATO’s Bonn Summit that «Spain will be a loyal and active member of the Alliance and will bring to it the full drive of a people that has just regained its freedom and wants to maintain it in the peace and justice of the international arena». These words are as relevant today as they were in 1982. These are exactly the same values Spain made a bid for in 1982, the same values that we support today: values that define a modern society committed to freedom. Spain is undoubtedly stronger and more secure thanks to our NATO membership. There can be no question about it. And the Spanish people are well aware of this, as shown by the results of the study published just one year ago by the Spanish think tank Real Instituto Elcano, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution, to verify the strength of Spain’s commitment to NATO. According to this study, 75 per 100 of Spaniards are in favour of remaining in NATO, a good example of the Spanish people’s sense of belonging to an international community of democratic values and shared security. There is no doubt that the men and women of the Spanish Armed Forces have demonstrated in recent decades, and continue to demonstrate today, that their permanent commitment and skills make Spain an engaged, serious and reliable Ally. Ever since we joined NATO, wherever the Alliance has deployed its forces, Spanish soldiers have been involved. We have participated or are currently participating in almost every Allied operation, mission or activity. Spain has a taken a step forward whenever our presence has been required in NATO’s defensive missions such as the Enhanced We have defended not only our borders, but also our freedoms and values December 2019 Revista Española de Defensa 47 NATO
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