Spanish PM:
No more talks with ETA
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MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said his government is no longer prepared to negotiate with ETA to put an end to Basque separatist violence, according to an interview published Sunday.
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In a nine-page interview in leading daily El Pais, Zapatero said trying to negotiate with ETA had not produced good results.
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"Dialogue has proved useless, seeing what ETA has done," Zapatero was quoted as saying. "There is not going to be dialogue."
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In March 2006, ETA declared what it described as a permanent cease-fire, but reverted to violence nine months later by killing two people in a car bombing at a Madrid airport parking garage after failing to wrest concessions in peace talks with Zapatero's government.
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ETA has killed more than 825 people since 1968 in its quest to carve out an independent country from parts of northern Spain and southwestern France.
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The government acknowledges it was caught off guard by the 2006 blast and has been cracking down on ETA ever since, arresting dozens of its members and suspending two pro-ETA nationalist political parties through legal action.
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In the interview granted to five El Pais journalists, Zapatero also said he had high expectations for the forthcoming presidential elections in the U.S.
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"I mustn't confuse my wishes with reality, but I have already said elsewhere that I like (Barack) Obama," Zapatero was quoted as saying.
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As to the state of Spain's economy, Zapatero said it was debatable if the country's performance dip following a stall in the real estate and construction sectors and a major rise in inflation to close to 5 percent could be rated as a crisis, according to the El Pais interview.
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"It's a matter of opinion if there is a crisis or not," Zapatero was quoted as saying.
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During the run-up to this year's general election, Zapatero pledged to reduce taxes by euros 400 ($588) per year for contributors who filed payments correctly and on time.
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The government fulfilled the promise as one of its first policy decisions following the March elections in a step widely seen as an attempt to relieve inflationary pressures and stimulate consumer spending.

posted by Prince and Gina Parker @ 7:48 AM, ,



Spain beat Germany in Euro final
VIENNA, Austria (CNN) -- Spain claimed their first major football title in 44 years after beating Germany 1-0 in Sunday's European Championship final in Vienna.
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Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes as the Spaniards took a grip on the match which they never let slip.
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Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes.
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But Spain had a series of chances to double their lead midway through the half as Sergio Ramos headed straight at Lehmann and Andres Iniesta forced two more saves in quick succession from the German keeper.
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Marcos Senna also went close for Spain with nine minutes left, failing to connect with the ball at full stretch in front of an open goal after substitute Dani Guiza's clever headed pass.
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Football fans had been gathering all day in the Austrian capital with around 70,000 watching the eagerly anticipated match on giant screens in the Fanzone area in the center of the city in addition to a 50,000 capacity crowd at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
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"The Spanish section of the crowd erupted with joy at the final whistle," CNN's Pedro Pinto said. "This will be a party that will go on for a very long time."
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Pinto said Spain had deserved their victory: "Spain are worthy champions -- they played better and scored more goals throughout the tournament."
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Earlier, the mood in Vienna had been festive with rival supporters mingling peacefully amid tight security.
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"Singing, dancing and cheering, fans from Germany and Spain have created a party atmosphere which is a joy to watch," said Pinto.
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"There is no hint of tension or violence as everyone just wants to enjoy the occasion."
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Large crowds had also gathered in public squares in Berlin, Madrid and other German and Spanish cities to watch the match. CNN's Al Goodman said scenes of pandemonium had erupted in the Spanish capital at the end of the game as the football-obsessed nation ended its long wait for international success.
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The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale.
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The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.
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Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
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The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport's biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world's greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe's strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.
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The country's sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad's run to the final had captured the nation's imagination, Goodman said.
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After winning all three matches impressively in the group stages, Luis Aragones' side beat world champions Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals and produced a performance of stylish swagger to overcome Russia 3-0 in the semis.
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"This the best group of players I have seen in the past five tournaments and they deserve the title," Spanish journalist Guillem Balague told CNN ahead of the final.

posted by Prince and Gina Parker @ 7:35 AM, ,


Spanish protest truckers bring disruption and shortages
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MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Gas stations in Madrid and the northeastern Catalonia region began running out of fuel Monday as an indefinite strike by truckers began to bite.
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The protest over soaring fuel costs began at midnight Sunday.
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Antonio Onieva, president of Madrid's station owners organization, told reporters that by 5:30 p.m., 15 percent of the capital's outlets had run out of fuel. Manuel Amado, president of Catalonia's owners' federation, said 40 percent of Catalonia's 1,714 stations had sold out.
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The stoppage led to lengthy lines at many gasoline stations across the country as drivers rushed to fill up.
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Truckers also blocked a number of roads around the country, including some leading into the center of Barcelona and the international border with France.
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"We are the ones who move the goods that this country needs to keep working. If we stop because we haven't got the money to buy fuel then the country will stop," Julio Villascusa, president of the transport association Fenadismer, told Cadena SER radio.
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Fenadismer said more than 90,000 drivers have been called to take part in the strike.
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The strike was not expected to have a major effect on city food markets until later in the week.
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There was almost no movement of trucks early Monday at Mercamadrid, the main wholesale food market for the Spanish capital.
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Development Ministry transport chief Juan Miguel Sanchez said the government will guarantee market supplies.
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Fenadismer representatives and Development Ministry officials met Monday morning for four hours and were meeting again in the early evening.
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A strike by fishermen across Spain also protesting fuel costs has entered a second week. News reports said smaller boats that fish closer to the coast had now joined the protest, which began May 30.
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The stoppages are part of Europe-wide protests against rising prices.

posted by Prince and Gina Parker @ 12:07 PM, ,