PGMA visits Basque Region's capital city of Vitoria, Spain
Thursday, December 06 2007 @ 06:36 PM UTC
World
VITORIA, Spain, December 6 - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made a brief visit to the Basque Region's capital city of Vitoria, Spain on the last day of her four-day state visit to Spain, en route to the United Kingdom.
The President and her delegation arrived at the Foronda Airport here at 1 p.m. Wednesday (Madrid time) and were warmly welcomed by Vitoria officials led by Secretary General for External Action Inaki Aguirre.
The President immediately proceeded to the Palacio de Ajuria Enea where she had a meeting with the President of the Basque government, Lehendakari Senor Don Juan Jose Ibarretxe.
As the President passed through the Cordon of Basque Police Honor Guards at the entrance of the Palace, the "Agur Jaunak," a Basque traditional song was sang.
She was then presented a "Makila," a special scepter of honor and authority by Lehendakari, who expressed his deep gratitude to the President.
"I could not express fully well how grateful I am with your visit," Lehendakari said as he presented the scepter that is given only to persons looked up with esteem and authority.
The "Makila" is the Basque people's stick that symbolizes authority and its manufacturing process has been maintained over centuries.
It is made out of wild meadler cut during winter and goes through a process that would allow it to swerve to form the design that characterizes the "Makila."
The branch is peeled in a furnace, stained, adorned with brass or silver ring at the bottom carefully hand-engraved with Basque motifs.
The other end of the rod is topped with a horn grip fixed by means of a threaded silver covered with plaited leather.
The President and her official party, among them Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Trade Secretary Peter Favila, were treated to a sumptuous lunch that included Iberian Bellota ham, Cantabrian lobster salad with seafood dressing, baked wild sea bass with shallots in Txakolf white wine, Hake Kokotxas with clams in salsa verde and cream-filled crepes with seasonal fruits.
The Basque Region is one of the 17 autonomous regions in Spain, located in the northern part along the Zadorra River.
The region has its own regional police force, tax collection and education system.
Politically, the Basque Region has a strong presence of a separatist movement, including a small but volatile terrorist organization, the ETA.
It is economically progressive as it is a commercial and industrial center in an agricultural region.
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