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Millions of Spanish Workers Protest War

Barcelona school children form the word 'Peace' in the Catalan regional language in their school courtyard in Barcelona, northeastern Spain Friday, March 14, 2003 as a protest against possible war in Iraq. (AP Photo/EFE, Julian Martin)
MADRID, Spain - Millions of Spaniards staged a 15-minute work stoppage Friday to protest a possible war in Iraq as Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, ahead of a weekend U.S.-British-Spanish summit, stood firmly by Washington's efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein.

"Not acting to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction is neither politically nor morally acceptable," Aznar told a meeting of members of his Popular Party. He reiterated charges that Iraq has failed to disarm since the 1991 Gulf War.

Aznar spoke before it was announced that he would join President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a hastily arranged meeting Sunday on an Azores island, a last-minute attempt at diplomacy.

The leaders also are likely to discuss plans for Iraq in any scenario in which Saddam is deposed. Aznar did not mention the emergency summit.

Aznar's party meeting in a downtown Madrid hotel came shortly after millions of people across the country participated in the noontime protest.

Opposition politicians joined workers from government offices, businesses and factories in the protest called by the European Confederation of Unions. The union estimated some 5 million people participated.

Aznar compared those who oppose military action to those who sat back and watched while Hitler started World War II or Yugoslav leaders carried out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

"The Balkans appeared on TV but there are human rights abuses in Iraq," Aznar said. "Does that make it right to act in former but not in latter? I don't think so."

After "so many years of tyranny, murders and torture," Aznar said he hoped "the Iraqi people will see freedom soon and Spaniards can proudly say in that moment that we were capable of assuming serenely and calmly our responsibility."

The national news agency Efe later quoted government officials as saying Aznar, Bush and Blair would discuss ways of mustering international support for their stance rather than plans to attack on Iraq.

The Portuguese defense ministry said the summit will be held at the Lajes Field air base on the island of Terceira. Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Durao Barroso also will attend the summit as host, his office said.

Aznar and Blair are two of Bush's most fervent supporters in his hard-line U.S. stance on Iraq. Portugal also backs the United States.

Spain's opposition parties are against a war, and opinion polls indicate that more than 80 percent of Spaniards feel the same way.

Political parties and labor unions have called for a massive turnout for anti-war demonstrations on Saturday as part of protests called around the globe.
 
 

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