Madrid - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero expects US president-elect Barack Obama to open "a new era" in international relations, government sources said Wednesday.

Obama will give a new push to multilateralism in economic and foreign policy, increasing dialogue and coordination between the regions of the world, the sources quoted the Socialist premier as saying.

Zapatero's decision to recall Spanish troops from Iraq after his 2004 election victory worsened Spain's relations with the United States.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos expressed trust that Obama would soon receive Zapatero, in contrast with George W Bush, who did not meet bilaterally with the Spanish premier.

Conservative opposition leader Mariano Rajoy said he expected Obama's victory to improve Spain's relations with the US. (dpa)