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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8178
THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) eu/usa

Spanish Defence Minister criticises US unilateralism and requests that European allies be informed about Washington's intentions regarding Iraq

Zaragosa, 22/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The sharing out of roles by the US to its European allies, "is not good", declared the Spanish Defence Minister, Federico Trillo, who presided over the informal Defence Ministers' meeting in Zaragosa on Friday and Saturday (see previous news). Interviewed by the regional daily, "El Periodico de Aragon", on US unilateralism, the Spanish Minister replied that there was currently, "an imbalance between the two sides of the Atlantic" and that everything would suggest that the US government would like to reallocate roles again. Mr Trillo pointed out that the USA and its allies intervened in specific missions and the Europeans took charge of humanitarian reconstruction. "This reallocation of tasks isn't good for our relations with the USA nor for joint security. For this reason, we must remain united and speak with the same voice by requesting the USA to correctly inform us through the Atlantic Council", he added. Referring to announcements about bombings by the US and some of its allies against Baghdad, Mr Trillo said that "unilateral solutions are bad because they put the international solidarity created after 11 September in peril". Iraq was not officially on the agenda in Zaragosa but the presence of NATO General Secretary, George Robertson, allowed the Europeans to ask his point of view on Trans-Atlantic relations, Mr Trillo pointed out.

 

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