Spain pledges funding to Iraq
From CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman
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Rato: Spain has invited 78 nations to attend the donors conference.
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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Spain has pledged $300 million in financial aid over four years to help rebuild Iraq, says First Deputy Prime Minister Rodrigo Rato, a week before Spain hosts an international donors conference on Iraq.
The United Nations and the World Bank estimate Iraq will need $35 billion through 2007 for reconstruction, not counting other funds for rebuilding Iraq's oil-pumping infrastructure and for military and security needs, Rato said Friday.
Rato -- who is also Spain's Economy Minister -- said the two-day donors conference, which opens next Thursday in Madrid, aims to raise $15 billion to $20 billion.
But Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio told CNN Wednesday the conference would receive pledges of at least $6 billion, apparently setting the expectations far lower for the Madrid gathering.
The conservative Spanish government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has been a staunch ally of the Bush administration before, during and after the war in Iraq.
Since August, Spain has 1,300 combat-trained peacekeeping troops in the Polish-controlled sector of Iraq, south of Baghdad.
The Spanish pledge of $300 million for Iraq includes about $200 million in additional funds that had not previously been committed to Iraq, Rato said.
Spanish officials appeared relieved at the unanimous United Nations Security Council vote in support of a U.S. resolution, with co-sponsorship by Britain and Spain, calling for future aid to stabilize Iraq and garner more international support in the reconstruction. (Full story)
"The donors conference starts on a good footing because they agreed (at the U.N.) on the goals," said Eduardo Zaplana, the government's chief spokesman, at the same news conference where Rato appeared.
The United States has pledged $20 billion to Iraq, of which $15 billion would be for reconstruction and $5 billion for security needs. (Full story)
Japan has pledged $1.5 billion, Britain about $900 million, the World Bank about $3.4 billion and the International Monetary Fund, about $400 million. In addition, the executive branch of the 15-nation European Union, of which Spain is a member, has pledged about $230 million.
Spain invited 78 nations to attend the donors conference, but only 33 confirmed their presence by Friday, Rato said. He said he expected more to attend since the U.N. Security Council resolution passed unanimously Wednesday.
In addition to the nations, 19 international organizations -- such as the World Bank, and 11 non-governmental organizations -- also have been invited, with most confirming they would attend.
