In 2006, the United States was optimistic about the Spanish government’s initiative to act as a mediator between the Syrian government of Bashar Assad and Hizballah over the latter’s disarmament. Then-Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos made a series of trips to Damascus, which the United States saw as a positive sign to try to defuse the volatile situation in the Middle East. In a series of cables sent by the US Embassy in Madrid and released by the Wikileaks website, American diplomats advised Washington that Spain could play a constructive role in the region. On August 3, 2006, the US Ambassador in Madrid at the time, Eduardo Aguirre, reported Moratinos as saying that Syria had … [Read more...] about Spain’s Syrian efforts received US backing
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Spanish air firm seeks sanction relief after Syria trade gaffe
Later this month, the US government is expected to review whether it will maintain intact a commercial sanction against a Spanish air company for sending a jet to Syria in violation of a trade embargo. The British-made BAe 146–300 aircraft reportedly is still parked at a Damascus airport despite efforts over the last two years by Spain’s Orion Air S. L. to push Syrian officials to return the jet. The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a 180-day sanction, known as a “Temporarily Denying Export Privileges Order” (TDO), against Orion and Syrian Pearl Airlines in 2009. It renewed the TDO last April because the jet has not been returned. A batch of US Embassy … [Read more...] about Spanish air firm seeks sanction relief after Syria trade gaffe