Kathleen Ridolfo
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Iraq Report, Vol. 6, No. 34
August 7, 2003

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced on Aug. 1 that Spain would host the international donors’ conference for Iraq this autumn, according to a Reuters report.

Rajoy told reporters that the date of the conference had not been set, but said that a preparatory meeting would be held in September to build on a preliminary meeting held in June.

It was earlier announced that the World Bank, the UN, the EU, Japan, the United States and the United Arab Emirates would hold the donor conference in October. Spain, which allied itself with the U.S. and Britain in the war against Iraq, has sought a leading role in the reconstruction process, and has committed its troops to assist in peacekeeping efforts there. The first group of some 1,300 soldiers departed Spain for Iraq on July 23, 2003.