Summary

In matters of foreign policy, power is always a relative factor. One can be more or less powerful than others, whether they are friends or foes. This is the reason why all nations attempt to increase their power share in order to better serve their own interests. Power is gained, but can also be lost. Its resources can be wasted and one may loose the will to exercise it. In both instances, the result is the same, a weakened country. Spain has achieved greater visibility and ability to act, specially thanks to the Prime Minister Aznar’s policy, at a time when Spain became part of the current debates on important issues, when it defended its own interests on equal ground with its partners and took on the challenge of defending by use of force the full integrity of its sovereign territory. Up until March 14, 2004 Spain was a credible and respected nation, willing and able to assume commitments resulting from its belonging to the avant-garde of world affairs.