- Title: SPAIN: SPAIN AND GERMANY REVIVE MILITARY PACT
- Date: 8th November 2004
- Summary: (W7) LEON, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 8, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF SUMMIT VENUE PARADOR DE SAN MARCOS 0.04 2. SLV/SV WORKING SESSION TAKING PLACE (3 SHOTS) 0.15 3. MCU/SLV/SV SPANISH DEFENCE MINISTER JOSE BONO AND GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER PETER STRUK SIGNING MILITARY CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT (3 SHOTS) 0.31 4. LV OF NEWS CONFERENCE 0.35 5. MCU (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER SAYING: "The relationship has never known a better moment. ... It's easy to talk to him (Zapatero) even in those areas where we don't agree ... It is made easier by the new openness (of the Spanish government)." 1.04 6. SLV JOURNALISTS ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE 1.07 7. MCU (Spanish) SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO SAYING: "We must thank countries like Germany for the progress of Spain. I already said that in Germany some time ago, and I wanted to repeat it here." 1.22 8. SLV OF NEWS CONFERENCE 1.25 9. MCU (German) SCHROEDER SAYING: "We wanted to raise the prices but we didn't get what we wanted. They (Spaniards) have done a good deal." 1.50 10. LAS/SV EXTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL OF LEON/LITTLE GIRLS WATCHIN (2 SHOTS) 1.57 11. LV/SV/SLV SCHROEDER AND ZAPATERO COMING OUT OF CATHEDRAL (3 SHOTS) 2.16 12. SV SCHROEDER AND ZAPATERO SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE 2.25 13. SV PEOPLE WATCHING 2.30 14. SV/LV LEADERS WALKING ALONG STREET/CROWDS (3 SHOTS) 2.46 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LEON, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Reuters ID: LVA9PQ92I56L6J1Q98PXBQF7LXBT
- Story Text: Spain and Germany revive military pact.
Spain and Germany have revived a military
co-operation agreement dormant since 2001 when Spain failed
to comply with promises to buy German technology. The
revived agreement was announced at a German-Spanish summit
on Monday (November 8).
Spain will start buying German technology to
manufacture arms, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
announced at a summit in Leon, Zapatero's home town in
north central Spain.
In addition Spain agreed to join a French-German combat
group and in other matters advocated flexibility for
Germany regarding its failure to meet European Union (EU)
standards on its budget deficit.
"The relationship has never known a better moment. ...
It's easy to talk to him (Zapatero) even in those areas
where we don't agree ... It is made easier by the new
openness (of the Spanish government)," Schroeder said.
Both leaders have earned the scorn of Washington for
their opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, in contrast
to former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, a
personal friend of President George W. Bush and supporter
of the Iraq war.
Schroeder also clashed with Aznar on Iraq and the
European constitution but said he and Zapatero were totally
in agreement on issues beyond Iraq like Iran and the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Europe is attempting to offer economic incentives for
Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons ambitions and
hopes to revive the Middle East peace plan.
The bilateral military pact - due to be made final in
January - reactivates a 1995 deal in which Germany lent
Spain 108 Leopard combat vehicles at nominal prices in
exchange for Spain buying military technology from Germany.
Spain was to be allowed to keep the Leopards at the end of
the deal.
But Spain failed to uphold its end of the deal in 2001
for unknown reasons, a Spanish government source said.
The two countries will collaborate on naval
communications systems and Spain will build Eurofighter jet
and Tiger helicopter missiles plus submarine torpedoes.
Financial terms were not provided.
Spanish defence firms Indra IDR.MC>, Santa Barbara
GD.NH>, and Izar would be involved in the manufacturing,
the source said, without providing details.
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