No reconciliation between Spain, US in sight

The governments of Spain and the United States have experienced a distancing in their relations in recent months and there is no expectation in the near future of an evident reconciliation between the leaders of both countries.

The controversy came to surface when the new government of Spain headed by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero changed its foreign policy, from pro-US, taken by the previous government of the Popular Party, to a more pro-European one.

A sign of this distance, is the report that US President GeorgeW. Bush had been negative to answer Prime Minister Zapatero's phone call to congratulate him for his re-election.

Before and after taking office last April, Zapatero had been harshly condemning the unilateralism of Bush in the war against Iraq in the name of campaigning against world terrorism.

The relations between Zapatero's predecessor Jose Maria Aznar and Washington had been very good when Spain gave decisive supportto Bush who led the invasion of Iraq in defiance of the United Nations and international law.

When Aznar was in office, he visited the United States several times, where he was received as a distinguished guest in the WhiteHouse.

But Zapatero, even as a candidate for the general elections of last March, began to criticize the US invasion of Iraq.

After being elected as prime minister, he openly affirmed that the war against Iraq "is a mistake" and a "violation of the international legality," saying that his government pursues a multilateral policy which absolutely respects the United Nations.

In April, the new head of the Spanish government challenged thewill of Bush and pulled back the 1,300 Spanish soldiers deployed in Iraq.

What has been said and done by Zapatero has absolutely upset Bush, who later accused that the withdrawal of Spanish troops fromIraq "supported international terrorism."

Another diplomatic incident occurred on Oct. 12 when Spain was celebrating its National Day. US ambassador to Madrid George Argyros refused to attend a military parade and a banquet offered by King Juan Carlos of Spain, with the excuse that he had "transportation problems."

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos termed the US ambassador's action as a lack of respect to the government and people of Spain.

On Nov. 4, two days after Bush won his second term, the US headof state did not receive the congratulation call by Zapatero.

And before that, prior to the Nov. 2 elections in the United States, Zapatero had said clearly he preferred a victory of Bush'sdemocrat rival John Kerry.

The Spanish public is now worrying about a reprisal by the US against Zapatero's government. On Nov. 17, Spanish daily El Mundo said that the appointment of Condoleeza Rice as the new Secretary of State of the White House "comes as a blow to the Zapatero government."

"Rice has a personal friendship with Aznar and also with formerforeign minister Ana Palacio" and "has appeared as a critic of theZapatero foreign policy," said the daily.

Source: Xinhua