Zapatero presenteert de prioriteiten van het Spaanse voorzitterschap in de Verenigde Staten (en)

The President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero i, and the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama i, in the Oval Office at the White House, in October 2009. EFE

The President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is visiting Washington on 3 and 4 February, for a visit scheduled as part of the rotating Presidency of the European Union. In the United States and at its institutions Zapatero will set out the priorities for the Spanish Presidency and explain the importance of Transatlantic relations.

On Thursday he will take part as a special guest in the 5th edition of the National Prayer Breakfast, after which he will attend a lunch and symposium at the Chamber of Commerce and deliver an address to the Atlantic Council.

This is the President of the Government's third visit to the United States since the start of Barack Obama's Presidency.

The President of the Government is the first Spanish person to attend this event as a special guest. Special guests in previous years include the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair; the Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto; the lead singer of the Irish band U-2, Bono; Mother Teresa of Calcutta after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize; and the King of Jordan.

The National Prayer Breakfast is an event privately hosted by members of the United States Congress. The meeting is open to everyone, regardless of their beliefs or ideas, and its objective is to encourage dialogue.

These breakfasts have been held without a break since 1953 and all US Presidents have taken part in them.

Around 3,500 personalities from political, economic, cultural and social spheres will be attending this year. An informal gathering is held before the event for the guests of honour.

At noon on the same day, Zapatero will take part in a lunch and symposium at the US Chamber of Commerce, attended by Spanish entrepreneurs.

The US Chamber of Commerce is the biggest federation of business associations in the United States and across the world, with some three million members. Over 96% of its member companies are SMEs.

The last activity on the programme is to address the Atlantic Council, a specialist think tank on security and defence.

The President of the Government will deliver an address entitled ‘EU-US Strategic Partnership’, in which he will stress the priority given to transatlantic relations by the Spanish Presidency of the EU, and he will argue in favour of sharing responsibilities in order to deal with the main challenges on the international agenda.

The Atlantic Council is an association of leaders and institutions that dates back to the network of organisations created in NATO i member countries after the organisation was set up. Its motto is "Ideas, Influence, Impact". The President of the Government will be introduced by the National Security Adviser, James Jones.