Tony Blair's book reported with interest in Spain

Tony Blair's book reported with interest in Spain
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By h.b. - Sep 1, 2010 - 6:39 PM
The book shows that José María Aznar was well aware that he only had 4% support from the public for taking military action in Iraq

Photo EFE

The publication of Tony Blair’s book ‘A journey’ has been of interest in Spain, particular to see what the ex British Prime Minister has to say about José María Aznar.

Blair describes Aznar as a ‘tough negotiator’ in Brussels, noting Aznar obtained a special position for Spain in the Amsterdam Treaty, and as a ‘generous host’. He tells a story of how Aznar put his conditions on the table and then said he was going out to smoke. When Blair went out to try and get Aznar to be more flexible, Aznar showed him the many cigarettes he still had in his packet to smoke. Blair notes that Aznar got what he wanted.

The Spanish media has often spoken of the photo in the Azores where George W. Bush and Tony Blair were joined by José María Aznar, as the decision was confirmed to invade Iraq. Blair writes:-

‘José María Aznar told me that (in Spain) only 4% were in favour of military action, and I told him that this was more or less the percentage you would get if you asked the

Barroso, Blair, Bush and Aznar in the Azores - Photo Wikipedia

people if they thought that Elvis Presley was still alive’. Blair goes on that Aznar was decided to stand firm next to America.

‘He believed, like me, that the possibility of a link between the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorist groups was too real to accept, and that the time had come to stand up to the Saddam regime, which would have turned to such weapons’.

Blair also makes a brief mention of current Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, when the two met in Singapore for the announcement of the 2012 Olympic games.
‘Despite my friendship with Aznar he always behaved very well with me, and was obviously an intelligent politician’.

Meanwhile the ex Spanish Prime Minister, José María Aznar, has been taking part today (Wednesday) in the World Jewish Congress in Jerusalem where he has criticised Barack Obama for looking for new relations with the Muslim World, while at the same time ‘punishing his traditional allies’.

Aznar said he doubted that Obama could defend the lifestyle of the west, because ‘he has put forces into and if such movements are not corrected they could redefine the nation and its place in the world to such an extent that the could cause us all grand problems’.

Aznar started his speech condemning the terrorist attack on Tuesday which resulted in the death of four Israelis. He said that the need to defend the state of Israel ‘is the same as defending our liberal system’.

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