Aznar in the US accuses European governments of encouraging "Anti-americanism"
In another extraordinary attack on the foreign policies of the Spanish and other European governments yesterday, Jose Maria Aznar claimed that "At present, in many countries, including unfortunately my own, we find that for the first time an anti-american feeling is not only present on the streets, but is actually encouraged by the governing elites".
Speaking at Georgetown University where he is a Distinguished Scholar this year, Aznar insinuated that Europe is weak because it prefers to be so, and because it doesn't want to stand up and face threats or challenges. For this reason, in the opinion of Aznar, we should be grateful for the interventionist international policies applied by the US government.
Aznar applauded Bush's victory in the presidential elections once again, and spoke out in favour of American foreign policy. He refused to acknowledge that he had been mistaken about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (Aznar, unlike Bush and Blair, has never admitted any misjudgement about wmd). He also spoke about his visit the previous day to the White House - "Yesterday I went to the White House to speak to president Bush for one reason, because he is my friend... I have various friends in America, and one of them is the president". Although some Spanish media criticised this meeting yesterday, the Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said Aznar's visit to the White House was "normal" in that it was a "private visit".
Meanwhile, according to El Mundo, diplomatic sources have confirmed that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia have accepted an invitation received from the Bushes to have lunch with the US President and his wife during a visit they will be making to the States later this month. Apparantly the invitation was made yesterday, when President Bush learned that the Spanish King and Queen would be visiting Seattle on 20th November.
Juan Carlos and Sofia visited the Bushes during an official visit to the US at the beginning of George Bush's first presidency in 2001. Known for his affability and diplomatic skills, hopefully this royal visit will contribute to a thaw in the frosty Spanish-US relations. King Juan Carlos sent Bush a telegram after the elections congratulating him on behalf of the royal family, the Spanish government and the Spanish people. Rodriguez Zapatero also sent a telegram and telephoned, but his telephone call has not yet been returned. While most commentators and politicians here put this down to the negative US-Spanish relations at the moment, yesterday in his daily press conference the White House spokesman said that Bush had not yet spoken to Zapatero because of problems in their mutual agendas.
Related links:
Spanish relations with the US
Close ties between Georgetown University and the Spanish Popular Party
Aznar to join Georgetown University
Spain's Royal Family
Speaking at Georgetown University where he is a Distinguished Scholar this year, Aznar insinuated that Europe is weak because it prefers to be so, and because it doesn't want to stand up and face threats or challenges. For this reason, in the opinion of Aznar, we should be grateful for the interventionist international policies applied by the US government.
Aznar applauded Bush's victory in the presidential elections once again, and spoke out in favour of American foreign policy. He refused to acknowledge that he had been mistaken about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (Aznar, unlike Bush and Blair, has never admitted any misjudgement about wmd). He also spoke about his visit the previous day to the White House - "Yesterday I went to the White House to speak to president Bush for one reason, because he is my friend... I have various friends in America, and one of them is the president". Although some Spanish media criticised this meeting yesterday, the Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said Aznar's visit to the White House was "normal" in that it was a "private visit".
Meanwhile, according to El Mundo, diplomatic sources have confirmed that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia have accepted an invitation received from the Bushes to have lunch with the US President and his wife during a visit they will be making to the States later this month. Apparantly the invitation was made yesterday, when President Bush learned that the Spanish King and Queen would be visiting Seattle on 20th November.
Juan Carlos and Sofia visited the Bushes during an official visit to the US at the beginning of George Bush's first presidency in 2001. Known for his affability and diplomatic skills, hopefully this royal visit will contribute to a thaw in the frosty Spanish-US relations. King Juan Carlos sent Bush a telegram after the elections congratulating him on behalf of the royal family, the Spanish government and the Spanish people. Rodriguez Zapatero also sent a telegram and telephoned, but his telephone call has not yet been returned. While most commentators and politicians here put this down to the negative US-Spanish relations at the moment, yesterday in his daily press conference the White House spokesman said that Bush had not yet spoken to Zapatero because of problems in their mutual agendas.
Related links:
Spanish relations with the US
Close ties between Georgetown University and the Spanish Popular Party
Aznar to join Georgetown University
Spain's Royal Family
1 Comments:
For Mr Aznar's information I can tell you he is VERY wrong, I am an American living here in Spain and I have found that the people here are a lot more helpful and friendly than most of the American's I ran into when I lived in the states, so he would do best to KEEP HIS BIG MOUTH SHUT untill he knows first hand of what he speaks.
An American living in Spain.
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