Spain says US blocking of plane sales to Venezuela "unfair"

The United States' refusal of granting Spain a licence to sell military planes containing U.S. technologies to Venezuela was unfair, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandes de la Vega said on Thursday.

Vega said she had told U.S. Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre that it was "unfair" for Spain's manufacturer EADS-CASA to "suffer the consequences of a bad relationship between the United States and Venezuela."

"Having expressed our unhappiness directly to the U.S. ambassador, we will respect the decision (of the U.S.government)," said the minister, adding that EADS-CASA is seeking European companies to deliver on the 120-million-euro (about 144 million U.S. dollars) contract.

Spain agreed in November to sell 12 planes -- 10 transport aircraft and two maritime surveillance planes -- to Venezuela despite U.S. opposition.

Washington had been at odds with Caracas over Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's blames for the U.S. intervention of a coup attempt against him in 2002. The United States had accused Venezuela of allowing leftist Colombian rebels to operate on its territory and destabilizing Latin America.

Source: Xinhua