This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6710583.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rice set to reopen Spain dialogue | Rice set to reopen Spain dialogue |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Madrid on the first visit by the Bush administration since Spain's socialist government came to power. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Madrid on the first visit by the Bush administration since Spain's socialist government came to power. |
| Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply when Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq. | Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply when Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq. |
| Ms Rice's visit is a sign that Spain's relationship with the US is warming up. | Ms Rice's visit is a sign that Spain's relationship with the US is warming up. |
| However, disagreements remain, notably over Spain's relations with the governments of Cuba and Venezuela. | However, disagreements remain, notably over Spain's relations with the governments of Cuba and Venezuela. |
| Three years ago, the US was coming to terms with an abrupt change in Spain. | Three years ago, the US was coming to terms with an abrupt change in Spain. |
| The conservative Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, a staunch ally and personal friend of US President George W Bush, had lost a general election, days after train bomb attacks in Madrid blamed on Islamic militants killed 191 people. | The conservative Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, a staunch ally and personal friend of US President George W Bush, had lost a general election, days after train bomb attacks in Madrid blamed on Islamic militants killed 191 people. |
| Many Spaniards directly linked those bombings to their participation in the war in Iraq. | Many Spaniards directly linked those bombings to their participation in the war in Iraq. |
| Disagreement | Disagreement |
| The new Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, called the invasion of Iraq illegal and withdrew Spain's troops from that conflict. | |
| US-Spanish ties have not been the same since. | US-Spanish ties have not been the same since. |
| This visit by the US secretary of state is a sign that relations are getting back to normal. | This visit by the US secretary of state is a sign that relations are getting back to normal. |
| But there are still areas, apart from Iraq, where the two governments strongly disagree. | But there are still areas, apart from Iraq, where the two governments strongly disagree. |
| Spain is open to dialogue with the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. | Spain is open to dialogue with the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. |
| The US disapproves and says Spain should put more effort into courting the democratic opposition in that country. | The US disapproves and says Spain should put more effort into courting the democratic opposition in that country. |
| The US has also expressed anger about an arms deal between Spain and Venezuela's leader, Hugo Chavez, a man the US regards as a destabilising force in Latin America. | The US has also expressed anger about an arms deal between Spain and Venezuela's leader, Hugo Chavez, a man the US regards as a destabilising force in Latin America. |
| Even after this visit by Ms Rice, feelings between the US and Spain will not be as warm as both governments would like. | Even after this visit by Ms Rice, feelings between the US and Spain will not be as warm as both governments would like. |