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ELVIS
04-19-2004, 03:35 PM
Monday, 19 April, 2004

Spanish troops are to be withdrawn before 30 June (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3640459.stm)


US President George W Bush has rebuked Spain's new Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, for his decision to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq.

According to a White House spokesman, during a five-minute phone call Mr Bush expressed regret at the "abrupt Spanish action".

He also warned Madrid against taking further actions which would give "false comfort to terrorists".

Spain has said the withdrawal might be completed in less than six weeks.

"It would be imprudent to talk of six to eight weeks because it's going to be less," said Defence Minister Jose Bono on Monday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Zapatero ordered the troops to return "as soon as possible".

His foreign minister denied that his country was washing its hands of the situation in Iraq, but that is how the move to withdraw the troops is being seen by the Bush administration, says the BBC's Justin Webb.

The president urged that the Spanish withdrawal take place in a co-ordinated manner that does not put at risk other coalition forces in Iraq

Scott McClellan
White House spokesman


Prodi hails Spanish move
Our correspondent says there is a widespread feeling in the US that the Spanish government has made a serious error of judgement and allowed itself to look as if its policy was dictated by terrorism.

And unusually the Bush administration rebuke was backed in full by the Democratic party presidential challenger, Senator John Kerry, our correspondent says.

Future caution

Mr Zapatero telephoned the US president to discuss his move.

"The president urged that the Spanish withdrawal take place in a co-ordinated manner that does not put at risk other coalition forces in Iraq," Mr Bush's spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.

Mr McClellan said the president had "stressed the importance of carefully considering future actions to avoid giving false comfort to terrorists or enemies of freedom in Iraq".

Before the Spanish announcement, the US said it was prepared for other coalition members to reassess their role in Iraq.

Mr McClellan did not give any details but said Washington appreciated "recent statements by many of the coalition nations expressing solidarity and resolve".



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