Spain balks at US over Venezuela deal
ISN SECURITY WATCH (Friday, 20 January: 13:07 CET) – Prohibiting Spain to sell planes containing US technology to Venezuela is “unfair", said Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandes de la Vega.
Last year, Spain agreed to sell a dozen planes to Venezuela, even though the US was against the deal.
Vega reportedly made her complaint to US Ambassador to Spain Eduardo Aguirre that the US refusal to grant Spain the license to sell the military planes with US innovations was merely due to the ongoing spat between Washington and Caracas, El Mundo reported Friday.
The Bush administration has in the last year ramped up its criticism of Venezuela, saying leftist President Hugo Chavez was a destabilizing force in the region and a supporter of Colombian rebel groups.
Chavez in turn says Washington is trying to undermine his administration and reform efforts, and accuses the White House of playing a role in Venezuela’s short-lived 2002 coup.
Last year, Spain agreed to sell a dozen planes to Venezuela, even though the US was against the deal.
Vega reportedly made her complaint to US Ambassador to Spain Eduardo Aguirre that the US refusal to grant Spain the license to sell the military planes with US innovations was merely due to the ongoing spat between Washington and Caracas, El Mundo reported Friday.
The Bush administration has in the last year ramped up its criticism of Venezuela, saying leftist President Hugo Chavez was a destabilizing force in the region and a supporter of Colombian rebel groups.
Chavez in turn says Washington is trying to undermine his administration and reform efforts, and accuses the White House of playing a role in Venezuela’s short-lived 2002 coup.
posted by Marko at 1/20/2006 09:53:00 AM
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