By CNN's Al Goodman
Aznar was a staunch supporter of the war against Iraq Story Tools |
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his top foreign policy aides have made no secret that they would like to see a bigger role for Spain on the world stage.
Many analysts here say Aznar's staunch support for the U.S.-led war on Iraq -- despite overwhelming opposition by Spaniards -- was part of a strategy to gain more international clout for Spain, which has long been overshadowed in the European Union by its larger partners, Germany, France, Britain and Italy.
Aznar's meeting with President George W. Bush at the White House is not openly billed as a visit to receive a big thank you from Washington.
But U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Madrid on May 1, had exactly that kind of air.
At a Madrid news conference with Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio, Powell was generous in his praise of Spain's support for the war. Aznar justified Spain's support for the Iraq war as being part of the global fight against terrorism.
"We understand this was a difficult issue (for the Spanish government)," Powell said, surely aware that opinion polls at one point showed 90 percent of Spaniards were opposed to the war.
But Powell added, at the news conference, that history would prove that Aznar had been right in supporting the removal of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Peace conference?
One possible diplomatic payback to Spain would be hosting a second Middle East Peace Conference, similar to the one it hosted after the first Gulf War in 1991. That peace conference, in Madrid, was the first time Israel and its Arab enemies had sat down at the same table to discuss peace.
During Powell's visit to Madrid, he said it was premature to discuss a new peace conference but pointedly added that he hoped all parties would consider Spain "high on the list" of host candidates.
Foreign Minister Ana Palacio has said repeatedly that Spain would happily host another peace conference.
Aznar was due to have lunch with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge in Washington. Later he was to meet with Bush at the White House. They were to hold a joint news conference before having a working dinner.
As Aznar was flying to the United States on Tuesday, Defense Minister Federico Trillo made clear, in statement at a Spanish air base, that additional Spanish troops being readied for Iraq would have a direct role in security, expanding their duties from the current humanitarian tasks that include medical care and food distribution. (Full story)
Aznar will return from Washington to Spain in time for the start, on Friday, of the official two-week campaign for local elections.
The vote for town councillors in Spain's 8,000 cities and villages, and for officials in 13 regional governments, is widely seen as the first test at the ballot box on whether Spaniards support or rebuke Aznar's conservative Popular Party for his support of the war.
