Spain, U.S. try to mend fences
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States and Spain are seeking to repair their relationship in the wake of the new Spanish government's decision to remove its troops from Iraq.
Calling the decision to withdraw the troops a "decision of yesterday," Spain's new foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said Thursday his country was "looking to the future."
"We have a strong alliance with the United States, we have a strong friendship with the United States and the determination of both administrations is to work together in areas that cause common challenge for all of us," Moratinos said after meetings with Secretary of State Colin Powell.
He said that he and Powell agreed on the importance of cooperating in the war against terrorism, and that he expects the countries will continue to be "very, very close allies."
Newly sworn-in Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Sunday ordered Spain's troops -- based near the holy city of Najaf, where an uprising began two weeks ago -- to return home "in the shortest time possible." ( Full story)
U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday "expressed regret" to Zapatero about the decision to withdraw the forces.
Zapatero assumed office Saturday from Jose Maria Aznar, who strongly supported the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last year.
Zapatero's Socialists won an upset victory over Aznar's conservative Popular Party in last month's parliamentary elections, held three days after the March 11 Madrid train bombings that killed 190 people -- attacks blamed on Islamic terrorists.
Moratinos said the U.S. and Spain would also continue to work together in various areas of the world to promote peace and security, citing Afghanistan, the Balkans and the Middle East.
A senior U.S. State Department official told CNN that during the one-hour lunch, Powell and Moratinos agreed to "look forward" and concentrate on areas of mutual interest.
Powell reiterated that the United States was disappointed by the Spanish decision to pull out of Iraq and stressed the importance of coordinating its troop withdrawal, the official said.
Spanish troops are expected to be out of Iraq within six weeks, the new Spanish Defense Minister Jose Bono said.
But the senior State Department official noted that the new Spanish administration had said it would continue to help in Iraq, where it could train police or work on reconstruction projects.
Close cooperation
Beyond that, the official said the United States and Spain had a "very broad agenda," including Spanish participation in the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, as well as missions in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Spain has already announced a small increase in troops to Afghanistan, and officials hope it will increase the number of troops even further after the withdrawal from Iraq.
Senior officials said that they expect the new Spanish government to continue close cooperation with the United States on the war on terrorism, Latin America, the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Meanwhile, Poland's outgoing prime minister has said his country cannot ignore Spain's plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq, but a government spokesman denied Warsaw was considering a similar pullout.
"Poland will be in Iraq as long as it necessary, until the situation there is stabilized," spokesman Marcin Kaszuba told The Associated Press.
"Poland has not and is not considering a troop withdrawal." (Full story)
