Special relationship

By Jason Moore A day is a long time in politics as they say. Just two years ago Spanish Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero was openly criticising Prime Minister Tony Blair over Iraq and it appeared that relations between London and Madrid had reached an all time low. But just 24 months later and Blair is being openly praised by Zapatero and it appears that relations between Britain and Spain have never been better. Zapatero has found an unlikely ally in Tony Blair as the Spanish Prime Minister attempts to launch a Good Friday style agreement in the Basque Country. He has taken a major risk agreeing to hold talks with the outlawed terror group, ETA, because already public opinion in Spain is starting to turn against him. The Spanish public want to know that ETA has left violence for good. So what does Zapatero do? He calls in Blair who has been busy praising the Spanish Prime Minister for his courage and dedication to the peace process; Blair is being used in a similar fashion as the British government used President Bill Clinton but without so much involvement in the actual peace talks. It is amazing that a person who was so criticised in Spain over the Iraq war has now become a sort of white knight for the peace process in the Basque Country. It's amazing how things can change overnight. Is this the dawn of a new special relationship between Spain and Britain? I sincerely hope so.