The Spanish government protested Monday against the statement of Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer who accused Spain of encouraging terrorism through its troop withdrawal from Iraq.

The Spanish government had made the fight against terrorism a clear foreign policy priority, said Vice Foreign Minister Luis Calvo to Australian ambassador to Spain Susan Tanner, who was summoned to the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

Downer said on Sunday that the military withdrawal of the Philippines and Spain from Iraq "has encouraged terrorists to continue their threats."

The Australian diplomat reiterated Monday that Spain gave in to the terrorist pressure by withdrawing its troops from Iraq. But he admitted that the situation was due to an electoral promise of thenew Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Rodriguez Zapatero.

The Foreign Ministry said in a communique that the Spanish government considered Downer's remarks "unacceptable" especially from a friend like Australia.

The Socialist Party led by Zapatero won the March 13 general election, which was overshadowed by the Madrid bombings that killed 191 people and wounded 1,450.

After Zapatero took office, he withdrew the 1,300 Spanish troops from Iraq.

Source: Xinhua