Aznar: backing war

Discussions on Iraq are set to dominate discussions at the Anglo-Spanish summit, Downing Street has said.

Tony Blair was set to fly to Madrid on Thursday afternoon for a key meeting with Spanish premier Jose Maria Aznar.

Spain has been one of the key European supporters of the stance on Iraq adopted by American and Britain.

The centre-right Spanish government is one of the co-signatories of the latest resolution drawn up by the US and Britain in a bid to bring the current crisis into its final phase.

Ahead of the meeting, Downing Street said there was a full agenda for the discussions, but added that Iraq would be the key concern.

Britain was viewing the summit as "an important opportunity to discuss Iraq", said Number 10.

Other issues expected to be included in the discussions are plans for greater liberalisation of European economies and prospects for reforming the workings of the EU.

The Anglo-Spanish summit is the latest in a heavy round of shuttle diplomacy by the prime minister.

Blair has met France's president Jacques Chirac, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi as well as Middle Eastern leaders in recent weeks.

He has also held telephone discussions with the Bulgarian prime minister, whose country is currently a member of the UN security council.

Spain will need no convincing of Tony Blair's case, however.

Aznar has already backed the American and British positions on Iraq and last weekend visited president Bush in the US.

Spain is playing a key role as a leading EU member state and a non-permanent member of the security council.

Aznar has backed the British line that the issue is not about finding more time.

"If Resolution 1441 states that it's Saddam's last opportunity, that means that time cannot be long, because the last opportunity has already been given to him," he said.

"What we have to verify now is whether he has disarmed, or not. If we now said that time is infinite, it would be a laugh. It would be very difficult for anyone to take us seriously, beginning with the United Nations. That would be the worst possible message we could send for peace."