By Anna McLauchlin - 18th April 2004
Brussels chief Romano Prodi has welcomed Spain's decision to withdraw troops from Iraq.
Prodi claimed the move would help ease the transition in Iraq and heal deep divisions within the EU over the US-led war to overthrow Saddam Hussein.
"Spain, with this decision, has come back to our position and the split which prevented Europe from having a common line is being reduced," he told journalists in Rome.
"Spain's position will be seen as a strong signal to speed up the solution of these problems."
The European Commission president, who has pledged to pull out Italian forces should he become Italy's prime minister, has been vocal in criticising US policy.
Spain's new prime minister José Zapatero announced on Sunday that Spain's 1400 troops would be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible.
Marking a complete shift in Madrid's political stance over Iraq, Zapatero confirmed that Spanish troops will be removed from Iraq "as soon as possible and with the maximum security possible".
Speaking just hours after he was confirmed in office, the socialist leader said the move would reinforce Spain's alliance with its European neighbours as well as helping the Iraqis recover sovereignty over their country.
The US itself has said it expects other governments to consider their position in Iraq following Spain's decision.
Washington's National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said "I think there are going to be some changes".
But US administrator Paul Bremer said Iraq needs foreign troops to maintain security in the country before an Iraqi government takes over on June 30.
Government sources said the original plan to remove the soldiers by June had been accelerated due to the recent decline in security conditions in the country.
Spain's foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos insisted the withdrawal "should not affect bilateral relations with the US".
"Spain and the US have sufficient strategic depth to their relationship to understand the position of both sides, justified by the majority will of each country", he said in an interview published in El Pais on Monday.
But opposition leader Mariano Rajoy blasted the move, linking the decision to March 11 terror attacks on Spain.
"This is not a decision of solidarity and it will make Spain more vulnerable to terrorism", he told reporters on Sunday.
A spokesman for the UK defence ministry said, "We deplore this decision but we expected it and we understand it".
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