Entrevista a Zapatero (en inglés)

[Stewie]

Pushing for a Flatter World
After 18 months in power, Spain's Zapatero discusses gay unions, Iraq, U.S. relations and Vatican tensions
Newsweek International

Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, 2005 issue - One and a half years ago, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero surprised the world with a landslide election victory just days after the Madrid train bombings. And despite fears that the prime minister's Socialist Party would reverse hard-won economic gains, and frictions with the Vatican over social reforms like legalizing gay marriage, he is still riding high in the polls, with a 55

percent approval rating. Spain itself is experiencing a newfound cultural confidence in everything from food to movies, especially when contrasted with neighbors France and Italy. And the country, with its unique Moorish heritage, is promoting itself as a much-needed bridge to the Islamic world. Zapatero flew to New York last week to attend the United Nations World Summit, where he sat down with NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL editors. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: You were a vocal opponent of the Iraq war. Do you believe there is a way for Europe and the United States to come together and help Iraq succeed, or do you believe this is an American problem and America must deal with it alone?
ZAPATERO: Even for those of us who think this was something that was done badly, we want it to end well. So, yes, we should sit down and actually think together about how stability and normality [in Iraq] can be achieved.

The reports we get out of Washington suggest that there is very little consultation and cooperation right now between the United States and your country. Would you like to have a more personal relationship with the Bush administration?
It's true, there has been significant distance between us on Iraq. Apart from that, my government considers the United States to be a friend and an ally. But that doesn't mean that we're always in agreement.

How would you rate the intelligence cooperation now between Spain and the United States?
I'd give it 8 out of 10.

Do the Americans tell you things you need to know? Do they share information?
Yes—where they can be helpful. Spain has a lot of information. We've suffered a lot from terrorism. Our police forces, our intelligence forces are all highly trained. I think that we've arrested almost everyone who was involved in the Madrid bombings. Of course, then the question is whether all the information that is exchanged is analyzed correctly. That's the problem at this point.

Let's talk about Spain and the economy. When you took over, there was great concern among certain segments of the Spanish business class that you would undo some of the reforms of the Aznar period, and that Spain's growth rate would be affected. Do you think that you can defend your economic record?
I don't know what certain members of the business class were thinking when I won the election, but I know what's gone on since then, and I think they've done pretty well. They're all very happy now. Their profits are up 20 to 25 percent. The stock market's also gone up 20 to 25 percent. Our economy is very buoyant.

Has there been a backlash in Spain over the fact that your country has legalized gay unions?
Actually, no, more the opposite. Obviously it was a great step. But it was in line with Spain's values of tolerance and respect for individual decisions. Those are predominant values.

Do you think the Roman Catholic Church is trying to tell people to vote against this law—it doesn't support it—telling officials not to implement it?
Well, they've got the right to do that. In democracy, they have the right to act, to vote however they like. They even have the right to understand reality.

You've talked a lot about how the West needs to reach out to the Muslim world. Despite the recent backlash as expressed in the "no" votes on the European constitution, would you still bring Turkey into Europe?
We have to fulfill our promises. We told Turkey that, if it complies, we can give it consideration just like other countries, then it can join Europe. That has to be implemented. You can't use religion as an argument.

Jacques Chirac says he wants to foster a multipolar world, with Europe as a counterbalance to the United States. Tony Blair says that this is a bad way to think about the world and that Europe should strengthen transatlantic ties. Which vision do you agree with?
My view is that the world should be led by the United Nations. It can't be unilateral, or even multipolar. It has to be a multilateral system. Otherwise, it will just not work. I think that's a recipe for understanding the globalized world. Probably 30 years ago a 16-year-old Moroccan didn't see or know what was going on elsewhere in the world. But today that person knows just about everything, and we have to think about that, too.
© 2005 Newsweek, Inc.

© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9379211/site/newsweek/

Lo más llamativo que dice es que la iglesia tiene derecho incluso a entender la realidad.