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The King of Spain will visit today the European Commission, the European Parliament, and will meet Javier Solana (E.U. General Secretary of Security, Cabinet and Foreign policy).
The airplane in which Don Juan Carlos traveled from Madrid, accompanied by the minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and by the Secretary of State for European Subjects, Alberto Navarrese, landed yesterday, Tuesday, at the airport of Brussels, at 6,15 GMT.
According sources of the Royal House, the Queen was initially supposed to accompany the King, but in the end, Doña Sofía did not travel to Brussels, for all the changes taking place this week, as the death of Pope John Paul II has undergone the whole agenda of the royal family.
Today, the day of the King will begin with a visit of courtesy to the European Parliament, being recieved by its president, the Spanish Josep Borrell. After meeting Borrell in his office, the King will meet the chamber and the presidents of the seven parliamentary groups.
This is the third visit of Don Juan Carlos to the European Parliament, although the two previous ones, in May of 1986 and October of 1998, had an official character and took place in Strasbourg (France). For both occasions, the King spoke before the plenary session of the Eurochamber, reunited in solemn session.
At noon, the King will officially go to the European Commission, in whose seat he will be received by its president, the Portuguese José Manuel Durão Barroso, who will invite him to visit the Assemby of Commissioners, where Don Juan Carlos will pronounce a speech.
After lunch, the King will meet Javier Solana. The visit of the King will be concluded with the permanent representation of Spain in the European Union, whose ambassador is Carlos Bastarreche, where he will meet the civil employees and other Spaniards, who work in the communitarian institutions.