Blair rebuffed in attempts to persuade Zapatero to keep troops in Iraq

By BEN RUSSELL in Madrid

Tony Blair was rebuffed today as he failed to persuade Spain's new socialist Prime Minister not to pull his troops out of Iraq.

Mr Blair was forced to accept that Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero would have to honour his general election pledge, whatever happened in Iraq before the planned hand over of power to the Iraqi interim government on June 30.

Ministers had hoped a United Nations-approved transfer of power would be enough to maintain the Spanish contingent of 1,300 troops in Iraq, despite the incoming government's trenchant anti-war stance.

Yesterday Mr Blair met Mr Zapatero for nearly an hour ahead of a national memorial service in Madrid to remember the 202 victims of terrorist bombings earlier this month.

Iraq dominated Mr Blair's 25 minute one-to-one session with the incoming Spanish premier, but Downing Street acknowledged that Mr Blair had accepted that Mr Zapatero would have to honour his pledge to pull troops out.

A spokesman said: "The Prime Minister set out how he hoped the situation would move on in Iraq up to June 30 as we handed control to the Iraqis in a way the United Nations would approve of.

"Senor Zapatero set out the stance that he took during his election campaign and the Prime Minister said that he understood that, whichever way the situation moved in Iraq, that was the position backed by the Spanish people."

Mr Zapatero's decision means the withdrawal of Spanish troops is near inevitable, despite hopes that the coalition in Iraq could be maintained, although reports suggested that the Spanish may deploy troops to Afghanistan. Officials believe domestic political considerations would make it impossible for the Spanish leader to back down.

Mr Blair faces a tough task building relations with the new administration in Madrid after enjoying a close friendship with the outgoing right-of-centre Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

But aides said the talks were characterised by "warmth and understanding" despite Mr Zapatero's stinging criticism of Mr Blair and US president George Bush over Iraq.

Speaking after his shock election victory 10 days ago, Mr Zapatero condemned the invasion of Iraq as based on "lies", attacked the occupation as a "fiasco".

He warned at the time: "The war in Iraq was a huge disaster, the occupation continues to be a huge disaster; it has only generated more violence and hatred and the lesson has to be learned."

But yesterday Mr Zapatero made clear his commitment to the reconstruction of Iraq.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Senor Zapatero said quite clearly that whatever the position they took over this should not be misinterpreted as a lessening of Spanish support for the successful transition of power in Iraq."

The two leaders discussed economic and education reform and reform of the European union, where Mr Zapatero gave indications that the Spanish would soften their position on the proposed EU constitution.

The two men discussed both domestic and European economic reform and discussed the need to invest in education and the similar problems facing both countries at home.

The spokesman said: "The overall tone was one of warmth and understanding between the two leaders and Senor Zapatero expressed the hope of coming to London once he becomes prime minister."

- INDEPENDENT