U. S. VISIT
"There has been ... a commitment to (improve) political relations with our country," Moratinos told the Spanish press on Thursday
21.11.08 - 18:06 -
Moratinos with John Kerry in Washington. / EFE
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos ended a two-day visit to the United States, during which time representatives of President-elect Barack Obama assured him the incoming administration will pursue closer ties with Spain.
"There has been ... a commitment to (improve) political relations with our country," Moratinos told the Spanish press on Thursday.
Relations between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero turned frosty after the latter ordered his country's troops out of Iraq upon taking office in April 2004, fulfilling a campaign promise to end a military expedition that was always deeply unpopular in Spain.
Zapatero's first visit to the White House did not come until last week, prior to the G20 financial summit in Washington.
Moratinos met on Wednesday with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Republican Rep. Jim Leach, who have been designated by Obama for meetings with foreign leaders and top officials during the transition period.
Spain's top diplomat on Thursday met with Democratic Sen. John Kerry and had a phone conversation with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, two of the names mentioned - along with Sen. Hillary Clinton - as candidates to lead the State Department.
The foreign minister said that Albright and Leach told him that "if there's a country with which efforts need to be redoubled ... it's with Spain."
Moratinos, who took advantage of his seventh visit to the United States to say farewell to current Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - whom he referred to as a "friend" - said the representatives of the incoming administration have a "different" attitude that consists of "listening to the other side."
Among the topics discussed were relations between the European Union and the United States, last weekend's G-20 summit and the possibility of working jointly in areas of common interest such as Latin America.
Moratinos said he was leaving Washington with the impression that the Obama administration will strive to improve relations with Latin America, have a "different" attitude toward communist Cuba and make a search for solutions to climate change a priority.
