MADRID, 16 March 2004 — Spain’s incoming prime minister pledged yesterday to bring Spanish troops home from Iraq unless the United Nations takes control there, harshly criticizing the US-led war even as he promised to maintain good relations with Washington.
A day after his Socialists swept Spain’s ruling conservatives from power in elections overshadowed by terrorist bombings, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero also promised to lead a more pro-European government that would restore “magnificent relations” with France and Germany, which unlike Spain’s outgoing government both opposed the Iraq war.
Zapatero campaigned on a pledge to order Spain’s 1,300 troops home, and made clear yesterday he is prepared to fulfill it.
“I have said clearly in recent months that, unless there is a change in that the United Nations take control and the occupiers give up political control, the Spanish troops will come back, and the limit for their presence there is June 30,” Zapatero told a news conference. He described Spain’s decision to commit peacekeepers to Iraq as “an error.”
Outgoing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar is a close ally of US President George W. Bush, and Zapatero promised to maintain “cordial” relations with Washington.
Bush called Aznar yesterday to thank him for his “support, his friendship and his strong leadership,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. Bush then called Zapatero.
“The two leaders both said they look forward to working together, particularly on our shared commitment to combating terrorism,” McClellan said.
Still, Zapatero had harsh words for the war in Iraq and the US-led occupation.
“It divided more than it united, there were no reasons for it,” he said. “Time has shown that the arguments for it lacked credibility and the occupation has been managed badly.” Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair “will have to engage in reflection and self-criticism,” he said in a separate interview with Cadena Ser radio. “You cannot organize a war with lies.”
The vast majority of Spaniards opposed the war in Iraq. Despite Zapatero’s strong words, some were skeptical he would fulfill his pledge to withdraw troops from Iraq.
A leading Spanish socialist in the European Parliament, Enrique Baron Crespo, said the new government would “no longer block” talks on the EU constitution.
In Sunday’s election, the Socialists jumped from 125 seats to 164 in the 350-member Congress of Deputies. Although they fell short of a majority, Zapatero said he would try to govern without a coalition partner. The new administration likely will take office in a few weeks. Aznar’s conservative Popular Party, which had led pre-election polls before the Madrid train bombings on Thursday, fell from 183 seats to 148.
After the bombings, which killed 200 people, injured 1,600 and were purportedly claimed by the Al-Qaeda terror network, Aznar’s government was accused of misleading voters by insisting that armed Basque separatists were the prime suspects even as evidence mounted of an Al-Qaeda link.
