El Gobierno solicita a EE UU que los submarinos nucleares pasen por Rota

  • El atraque en Gibraltar enfrentaría al Gobierno con grupos medioambientales.
  • EE UU dice que intentará desviar los buques pero recuerda que España no tiene potestad sobre el Peñón.
  • España recuerda el escándalo del 'Tireless' en laBahía de Algeciras.

    ID

    72782

    Etiquetas

    PREL, MARR, SP, GI

    Fecha

    2006-07-27 11:46:00

    RefID

    06MADRID1897

    Origen

    Embassy Madrid

    Clasificación

    CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN

    Destino

    Encabezado

    Contenido

    VZCZCXRO2727

    PP RUEHLA

    DE RUEHMD #1897 2081146

    ZNY CCCCC ZZH

    P 271146Z JUL 06

    FM AMEMBASSY MADRID

    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0369

    INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0727

    RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

    @ELIMINADO@

    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

    RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 1991

    C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001897

    SIPDIS

    NOFORN

    SIPDIS

    EUCOM FOR NAVEUR

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2016

    TAGS: PREL, MARR, SP, GI

    SUBJECT: SPAIN CONCERNED ABOUT GIBRALTAR SHIP VISIT

    Classified By: A/DCM Kathy Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).

    1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: On July 26, a top Foreign Ministry

    official called the Ambassador on orders from his minister to

    register Spain's concern with the upcoming visit of a US

    nuclear-powered submarine to Gibraltar. The GOS did not

    specifically request cancellation of the visit, but suggested

    that it would be easier on everyone if the sub were to stop

    at the nearby Spanish base at Rota instead of Gibraltar. The

    Ambassador replied that, while Gibraltar issues are handled

    by Embassy London, he would pass the message. He also said

    that it is a routine port visit, families are already on

    their way to meet the crew, no repairs are scheduled, and the

    visit is likely to go forward as planned. END SUMMARY.

    2. (C/NF) MFA DG for Europe and North American Jose Pons

    called the Ambassador on July 26 to discuss the upcoming

    visit of a US submarine to Gibraltar. Prior to this call,

    the Spanish navy summoned the Defense Attache to discuss the

    same issue. An informal approach was also made via the

    Spain-US Permanent Committee (which implements the bilateral

    defense treaty). In addition, press and military staff from

    the British Embassy contacted their counterparts in Embassy

    Madrid to alert us that a nuclear submarine visit to

    Gibraltar was likely to become a public issue for us, as it

    usually is for them. (COMMENT. The British confided,

    however, that they were delighted the US submarine would

    visit take place. END COMMENT.)

    3. (C/NF) Pons told the Ambassador that he was calling on

    orders from Minister Moratinos to register Spain's concern

    with the impending visit of a US nuclear submarine to

    Gibraltar. He did not formally request a cancellation or

    change of the visit. Pons said that pierside submarine visits

    at Gibraltar routinely cause public protests by environmental

    groups. He said protests could be avoided simply by moving

    the port visit to the nearby Spanish base at Rota, where the

    visit would be simpler and more discreet.

    4. (C/NF) The Ambassador reminded Pons that he has no

    authority over issues related to Gibraltar, which is an issue

    for Spain and the UK to resolve. He reassured Pons that this

    port visit has no political significance, but is simply a

    routine stop at a port that the US Navy routinely visits.

    The Ambassador told Pons that the EUCOM had made this

    decision and was unlikely to change it at this late date

    because preparations are set and families already have

    tickets to Gibraltar to visit crew members. (NOTE. The last

    pierside US submarine visit was in July 2004. US submarines

    routinely stop at Gibraltar at anchorage to exchange

    personnel without pulling up to the pier. The GOS has raised

    no concern about these visits, nor about the pierside visits

    of US surface ships. END NOTE.)

    5. (C/NF) Contacts from the British Embassy in Madrid told us

    that they get calls from MFA, the press, and environmental

    groups each time that a British nuclear submarine visits

    Gibraltar, approximately quarterly. These visits have been a

    particular issue since the British submarine Tireless spent

    several months in Gibraltar in 2000 for repairs to its

    nuclear propulsion system. Although there was no problem,

    and in fact the repairs did not directly involve nuclear

    components, public concern stemmed from the potential risk of

    exposure to nuclear material in the event of an accident. In

    the wake of that incident, Spain and Britain negotiated an

    agreement confirming that British ships would continue to

    visit Gibraltar and that the British would keep the GOS

    well-informed of ship visits.

    6. (C/NF) COMMENT. The US Navy should continue to send ships

    to Gibraltar as appropriate. At the same time, it is

    important to remember that Gibraltar is a sensitive issue for

    both Britain and Spain in which the US maintains careful

    neutrality. Because of this political context, it is

    important to consider the timing of ship visits. Embassy

    Madrid appreciates the opportunity to be informed well in

    advance of planned port visits in order to provide the most

    effective advice to military leaders.

    AGUIRRE;"

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