ID

43582

Etiquetas

PREL, PGOV, SP

Fecha

2005-10-25 14:00:00

RefID

05MADRID3733

Origen

Embassy Madrid

Clasificación

CONFIDENTIAL

Destino

Encabezado

Contenido

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 003733

SIPDIS

@ELIMINADO@

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2015

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP

SUBJECT: SPAIN: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FM MORATINOS

Classified By: Charge J. Robert Manzanares for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Summary: Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos told

Ambassador Aguirre October 20 that Spain would contribute

million in "new money" (not in-kind or including previous

related contributions) to the Foundation for the Future, part

of the G-8's Broader Middle East/North Africa Strategy. He

regretted that the Secretary would not be able to attend the

EU's Barcelona Process 10th anniversary meeting in November.

Briefing the Ambassador on the October 18-19 visit to Madrid

of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Moratinos

said Abbas was the best Palestian interlocutor we have at the

moment. Moratinos also noted that during his upcoming New

York visit (week of Oct. 24), he would be meeting meeting

with USUN Ambassador Bolton to discuss Western Sahara and

Maghreb issues. END SUMMARY

Barcelona Process Meeting

2. (C) The Spanish government understands that the Secretary

will not come to the EU's 10th anniversary Barcelona Process

meeting, but Moratinos said that when he and the Secretary

spoke on this issue recently, the Secretary mentioned the

possibility of someone else at a lower level attending.

Moratinos explained that Spain had proposed extending an

invitation as "guests" or "observers" to the US, Balkans,

Russia and perhaps Albania but that this had to be approved

by the UK as the chair of the EU. If that was approved, the

US would receive an invitation to attend, at minimum, the

Foreign Minister's portion of the conference. When asked at

what level, Moratinos was unclear but it indicated he wanted

it to be higher than Ambassador.

3. (C) Regarding the Secretary,s not being available, he

said it was unfortunate but understood the significance of

the Thanksgiving holiday. He noted the importance of

continuous exchanges between cabinet level officials and was

hopeful we could work a visit by the Secretary to Madrid

early next year. Ambassador Aguirre said he would look into

it. The Ambassador agreed it was important to maintain a

good rhythm of high level visitors and was working on getting

the following to Spain: Senator Mel Martinez as part of the

US/Spain council, Commerce Secretary Gutierrez, Attorney

General Gonzales, and DHS Secretary Chertoff. He also noted

the upcoming visit of Cuba Transition Coordinator Caleb

McCarry and the possible visit of Dina Powell.

The Perennial Question

4. (C) Moratinos said Vice President Maria Teresa Fernandez

De La Vega would like to visit the US but understood the

sensitivities involved, since it could be perceived as trying

to arrange a visit between Zapatero and President Bush (this

tracks with Ambassador's discussion with her in reftel).

Moratinos said "we need to work on getting the two (Zapatero

and the President) together" soon, noting that this push was

coming from the MFA, not Zapatero nor his office. Ambassador

Aguirre responded that he did not see this as something that

could be accomplished soon, for a number reasons. The

Ambassador noted that there were still bruised feelings in

some parts of the USG as a result of the Iraq pullout and

that easing these concerns would take time. The Ambassador

then suggested to Moratinos that Zapatero needed to do

something dramatic to help turn opinion around. For example,

said the Ambassador, he could announce the cancellation of

the arms sales to Venezuela. In a similar vein, the

Ambassador expressed appreciation for the MFA statement on

the Iraq constitution referendum and for the beginning of

de-mining training for Iraqi security forces (slated to begin

in early November). The Ambassador suggested that the Spanish

government make a special media/public relations effort at

the start of the training, perhaps with the Iraqi Ambassador

to Spain, to underscore Spain's participation in Iraq

democratization and security-building.

BMENA

5. (C) Ambassador Aguirre urged Moratinos to declare in

advance of the Bahrain conference the amount of Spain's

pledge to the BMENA Foundation for the Future. Moratinos said

Spain understood the need for USD 1 million, and that it had

to be pledged prior to the Bahrain meeting. He said Spain's

pledge would be USD 1 million and this would be new money,

not incorporating Spain's previous contributions to OECD

BMENA efforts. The Ambassador thanked Moratinos and told him

that this would be welcome news in Washington. Moratinos

raised Zapatero's Alliance of Civilizations project.

Moratinos said the Alliance would be discussed at Barcelona

and asked if we had made a final decision on whether we would

be contributing to the effort. Moratinos mentioned U/S

Dobriansky,s visit and her indication that the US would

participate. Ambassador Aguirre told him he thought we were

still on track to participate and undertook to follow up.

Meeting with Palestinian Authority President Abbas

6. (C) Moratinos briefed the Ambassador on the recent visit

to Madrid of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

He said Abbas was the best Palestinian interlocutor possible

at the moment. Abbas, he said, is determined to follow a

peaceful strategy of negotiation with Sharon. Moratinos

described Abbas as a patient man who has a strategy to

dismantle Hamas. Abbas told Moratinos that Hamas is losing

ground and the polls reflect this. Hamas has lost

credibility in Gaza, especially in their latest effort to

blame Israel for the last bombing there; Abbas said no one

believes this. According to Moratinos, Abbas told the

Spanish his strategy is to work on disarming Hamas but not to

press too hard between now and the elections. Moratinos said

Abbas promised to disarm Hamas once the elections are over if

he wins. Abbas said that in order for his strategy to work he

need three things: 1) A minimum level of cooperation from

Israel that will allow the Palestinians to arm themselves to

meet current security needs. And for President Bush to

support this. He used an example of trying to get bullet

proof vests for the Palestinian police and the resistance

they are getting from the Israel. (Abbas said the Palestinian

Authority could control the distribution of the vests and

would keep an inventory of who is getting them); 2) A signal

from President Bush to Sharon not to interfere in the

Palestinian elections. Abbas added that it was unhelpful for

Sharon to say that Hamas cannot participate in the elections;

such commentary only builds support for Hamas. 3) Whatever

happens between Syria and the US should not have a negative

impact on Palestinians. Abbas also said that it would be

helpful to have pressure on Israel to release Palestinian

prisoners. He said he was now negotiating with Israel on this

issue and a release before the elections would help him.

7. (C) Further, Mortatinos said Abbas asked that US policy on

settlements remain the same, and a reaffirmation of the

policy would be helpful. Abbas noted the Palestinians working

to get Nativity Church (Bethlehem) exiles back home.

Moratinos noted that Spain was interested in this issue being

resolved as they took in some of these exiles and they would

like to send them back. Abbas also asked that Israel ease up

on the checkpoints and allow transit to Jordan.

8. (C) Abbas also told the Spanish he would like to see

Sharon invited to the Barcelona meeting as it would give him

an opportunity to meet with him. Moratinos said Sharon had

been invited. Abbas said that he believes Sharon is a

reliable partner and a good interlocutor. Finally, Abbas said

his is a strategy of non-violence and negotiation, which is

the only path that will produce results. But, he said, the

annihilation of Hamas (which Abbas said is controlled by

Iran) is not possible in the short term.

New York Trip

9. (C) Moratinos said that during his visit to New York the

week of October 24 (to attend a conference organized by

Spanish Judge Garzon, who is in New York for a year-long

program), he would be meeting with Ambassador Bolton to

discuss the Maghreb and Western Sahara. (Comment: The

Maghreb, particularly Morocco, is a key issue for Spain,

given the large number of Moroccan immigrants in Spain, the

Moroccan-immigrant origins of the March 11, 2004 terrorist

attacks in Madrid and the fragility of the border between

Morocco and Spain represented by a fence separating the

Spanish North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and

Morocco. In addition, resolution of the Western Sahara issue

is a key focus of Spain's foreign policy given Spain's

historic ties to the former colony, and the Spanish continue

to seek greater US involvement in the issue.)

MANZANARES;"