Foreign relations
Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said on Tuesday that Spain is willing to make "the maximum effort" in the training of security forces in Afghanistan, where Madrid is determined to make a "significant contribution."
18.11.09 - 12:27 -
Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said on Tuesday that Spain is willing to make "the maximum effort" in the training of security forces in Afghanistan, where Madrid is determined to make a "significant contribution."
Zapatero made the announcement after his first meeting in the White House with U.S. President Barack Obama, who ratified the "firm friendship" between the two countries and thanked Spain for its aid in the reconstruction and stabilization of Afghanistan.
The premier did not go into detail in his conversation with Obama about the Guantanamo prisoners that Spain would accept, because the number has yet to be determined, but he confirmed that his commitment to help the U.S. administration close down the detention centre remains "firm."
Zapatero arrived at the White House at noon and appeared together with Obama 90 minutes later to reveal the content of their meeting, which was followed by a lunch attended by delegations from the two countries.
It was, according to the visitor, an "intense day of talks and work, beneficial for security and the relations between the United States and Spain," which have areas of operation in common "with great possibilities for the future" in matters like security and the economy.
"My wish is that in emerging from the economic crisis there will be a great new investment cycle of the United States in Spain that will lead to the creation of companies and jobs, and that the investment cycle of Spain in the United States will be consolidated," Zapatero said.
Obama stressed the "great potential" of collaboration in areas like transportation and renewable sources of energy, and recalled that Spain in the first quarter of the year was the third-largest foreign investor in the United States, while the U.S. was the biggest investor in Spain.
In the field of security, Zapatero confirmed Spain's "firm and solid" commitment in Afghanistan.
Zapatero did not specify whether he would send more police to train their Afghan counterparts, but said that Spain, which has some 1,300 troops serving with the NATO-led force in the South Asian nation, is always ready to make the maximum effort in that undertaking.
Both agreed on better coordination of actions by the European Union and the United States in the region and were together in saying that now is the time to renew negotiations.
Zapatero, whose country will hold the EU presidency for the first half of 2010, said the bloc will stand by the United States in being "firm and demanding" about Iran's nuclear program.
Obama congratulated Zapatero on Spain's impending turn in the EU presidency and promised that his government will work "closely" with Madrid in such areas as the fight against terrorism, improving relations with Russia and European integration.
With this meeting, the radical change of direction in relations between Spain and the United States was formalized, after being marred by disagreements since April 2004 when Zapatero, as soon as he took power, fulfilled a campaign promise by ordering the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq.
On Tuesday Zapatero said that "the Spanish people feel very happy and satisfied with such positive relations between the two countries."
Before the meeting with Obama, Zapatero met in the Capitol with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi
