The head of the Spanish Government, Jose Maria Aznar, told Argentine President Fernando de la Rua that Spain has absolute confidence in Argentina's economy, and that Madrid has placed a "strategic bet" on Argentina overcoming its economic crisis, said official sources in Spain. During a private dinner held Tuesday [16 October] at Moncloa Palace, the seat of the Spanish presidency, the leaders examined Argentina's economic problems and the electoral setback suffered by the governing Alliance in the elections held Sunday [14 October] in Argentina, according to sources within the Spanish foreign ministry. 
	
	
 At the dinner attended by Aznar and De la Rua, who both also took part in the inauguration of the Second International Congress of the Spanish Language in Valladolid (center) that day, Spanish Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato, Interior Minister Mariano Rajoy, and Foreign Minister Josep Pique were also present. 
	
	
 Rato explained the macroeconomic measures that were applied in Spain to De la Rua, at a time when the Argentine Government is aiming for a zero deficit. 
	
	
 According to the Spanish foreign ministry, Aznar and De la Rua also spoke about the next Ibero-American Summit, which will take place this November in Lima, as well as relations between the European Union and Latin America. 
	
	
 The Spanish leader also took advantage of the occasion to tell the Argentine head of state about his last telephone conversation--which took place on Monday [15 October]--with US President George W. Bush, regarding the progress of military operations in Afghanistan. 
	
	
 During that conversation, Bush and Aznar also spoke about the situation in Argentina, the Spanish president told De la Rua.