[NYTr] Spain, Business in Mind, to Keep Ambassador in Venez, Won't Pursue Argument

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[The importance of Venezuela (and its ally Cuba) to Spanish business
interests seems to be prevailing over any monarchical desires to keep a
conflict simmering. It seems Juan Carlos, and not Hugo Chavez, is
"shutting up." -NY Transfer]

AP via the Intl Herald Tribune - Nov 13, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/13/europe/EU-GEN-Spain-Venezuela.php

Spanish minister, executive see no fallout 
for business from spat with Venezuela

The Associated Press

MADRID, Spain: The industry minister and one of Spain's top executives
said Tuesday a that a spat between King Juan Carlos and Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez will not harm Spanish companies operating in
Venezuela.

The king said "why don't you shut up?" to Chavez at an Ibero-American
summit Saturday after the Venezuelan president accused former Spanish
prime minister Jose Maria Aznar of backing a 2002 coup against Chavez
and called Aznar a fascist. The king later stormed out of the room.

The next day Chavez suggested the king himself had advance knowledge of
that two-day putsch.

The industry minister, Joan Clos, said Spanish companies have a
long-standing presence and important role in the Venezuelan economy and
neither side wants any more escalation in the dispute.

"It is one thing for people to be worried, but we have to expect that
this will not have a real effect on a relationship that has been built
over the course of many years and which we all want to continue," Clos
told reporters.

Antonio Brufau, chairman of energy giant Repsol-YPF, called the
diplomatic dispute a small setback that should have no fallout for
Spanish companies working in Venezuela, such as his. Nor will it spread
to other countries in the region, where Spain is the top investor after
the U.S., he said.

He said even the United States' tense relations with Venezuela are not
an impediment to doing business.

"In my sector, oil, all the American companies are operating in
Venezuela without a problem and it is clear that relations with the
United States are not optimal," Brufau told reporters.

Of the dispute between the king and Chavez, he said: "These small
setbacks must be resolved with a lot of dialogue."

                               ***

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Spain will Keep Ambassador in Venezuela

Madrid, Nov 13 (Prensa Latina) The Spanish government said it will not
withdraw its ambassador to Venezuela after the incident between the
Spanish king and President Hugo Chavez in Chile.

That action was proposed by Angel Acebes, secretary general of the
opposition Popular Party (PP), who also demanded Foreign Minister
Miguel Angel Moratinos's appearance in Parliament to speak about the
incident.

The refusal to recall the Spanish ambassador in Caracas was confirmed by
the secretary of State for Ibero-America, Trinidad Jimenez.

The official explained that the government must exhaust all means to
soothe the situation and prevent risks and negative effects.

The controversy between the Spanish monarch and Chavez took place on
Saturday in Santiago, Chile, when King Juan Carlos asked Chavez to shut
up when the Venezuelan leader was describing former Spanish President
Jose Maria Aznar as a fascist.

The two political leaders were attending the 17th Ibero-American Summit
in the Chilean capital.

For his part, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said on Monday
that he preferred Chavez's wishes for good relations instead of his
criticisms.

The Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE) of President Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero called the PP to contribute to improving relations
between Spain and Venezuela.

PSOE Parliamentary spokesman Diego Lopez Garrido described the PP's
proposal to recall the Spanish ambassador in Caracas as weird,
irresponsible, incoherent and absurd.

ef jg vc PL-14