By Katya Adler BBC correspondent in Madrid

Zapatero's Spain is now closer to the Franco-German alliance

The French President, Jacques Chirac, and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder have started an informal trilateral summit meeting in Madrid.

The EU constitution, international terrorism and Iraq are on the agenda.

The absence of other EU countries has prompted speculation the Spanish prime minister is engineering an about-turn in Spain's foreign policy.

The Madrid summit, according to Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, is a symbol of a new foreign policy for Spain.

One, he says, where Spain is a key player in the European Union. That's why, he invited France and Germany for talks. They, according to Spain's Socialist government are the EU's most powerful members.

New departure

The trilateral meeting represents a return to the heart of Europe, says Spanish Foreign Minster Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Zapatero's shock election win followed the Madrid bombings

Above all, he says, it signals the setting of a very ambitious European agenda on the part of three countries which want to build Europe on a number of fundamental bases: foreign policy, financial perspectives, justice, security and freedom.

This Madrid-led discussion on common European social and foreign policies is a far cry from the politics of the former Spanish government - a outspoken supporter of the divisive US-led war on Iraq.

Mr Zapatero withdrew Spanish troops soon after winning the general election in March.

This may have endeared him to France and Germany.

But the transatlantic alliance carefully cultivated by his predecessor, has been badly damaged