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195 countries are recognized by the UN, although some others exist in the world even though the United Nations does not consider them as sovereign states. Also, Spain, like the organization, recognizes as countries the vast majority of the planet, although there are territories that for our country are not nations. Something that is far from the recognition of Palestine by the Spanish government, while avoiding diplomatic relations with other territories. This is the case of Kosovo, as well as other places that declared their independence.

They are territories with which Spain does not maintain international relations for various reasons, which In addition to Kosovo are: Transnistria, Abjasia, South Ossetia, Cyprus of the North and Somaliland. Six territories that are not internationally recognized, at least in most countries, which makes foreign relations as such not very necessary for foreign policy. In general, they are territories with their own governments that claim to be independent states. Transnistria, for example, is a separatist region of Moldovabut considered internationally as part of the Moldavo country.

Transnistria is only recognized by very few countries, including ABJASIA Y OSETIA DEL SUR, in Georgiawhich are also separatist regions not recognized by the international community. On the other hand, Turkish Republic of Northern Chipre, proclaimed after the Turkish Invasion of 1974is only recognized by Türkiye, while Somaliland, in northern Somaliaindependently proclaimed himself. And as the previous ones, no full country recognizes it.

These are the countries that Spain does not recognize as sovereign states: Palestine is not one of them

In addition to these, the situation is complicated with Kosovo. A territory that declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. And there are many UN countries that have recognized this republic as an independent state, precisely more than one hundred (about 104). The first, countries such as Germany, France or the United States, and over time, other territories such as Sweden, Portugal or Saudi Arabiauntil they reached the last ones who did recently, Kenya and Sudan, in March and April of this year.

But among them, curiously is not Spain, even though Most of the members of the European Union accepted their recognition and independence. A decision in which the Spanish territory remains firm, like other member countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovakia, which do not recognize their sovereignty.

In fact, in a preparation match for the past World Cup held in Qatar in 2022, Spain played before the Kosovo team and could not refer to them as “country”, but as “territory” or “Football Federation. However, the Kosovar passport is valid, so that the citizens of this region can travel through the twenty -seven member countries of the Schengen space without problem.

It also supports the “Dialogue between their representatives and Serbia so that they can reach a good agreement for both parties”. According to Spanish authorities, Kosovo cannot be considered a country because “he does not comply with international law”, since he thinks that his independence is “unilateral”, and is that Serbia, a country with which he maintains the conflict, considers his act of independence void.

Recognize Palestine but not Kosovo: the difference is in international law

Although it is a situation similar to Palestine, recognized by 143 of the UN Member States, Spain if it recognizes the Palestinian territory as a country, together with some nations such as Poland or Cyprus already differentiate from others such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

“The only way to move towards the solution that we all recognize as the only possible one to achieve a future of peace,” said Moncloa after the recognition of the Palestinian State and the existence of “two states” (Palestine and Israel).

And, in this case, the Spanish authorities consider that Palestine recognition is based on international law and on the principle of self -determinationwhile cataloging the opposite before Kosovo. Although by that rule of three, either Palestine should not be considered as a country (because Israel, the other country with which the conflict has, considers it “a prize for terrorism”), or Kosovo, in them, it should be considered sovereign state by Spain, since there are more than one hundred countries that recognize it in the world.