US embassy cable - 04MADRID859

UNCLAS MADRID 000859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EB AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, SP, OECD 
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON OECD DECISION-MAKING REFORM PROPOSAL 
 
REF: SECSTATE 53981 
 
1.  We raised the USG reform proposal on decision-making with 
the MFA's Director General for International Economic 
Relations German Bejarano.  He described Spain as strongly in 
favor of a reform on decision-making in the OECD.  Bejarano 
criticized the lack of leadership evinced by the Secretary 
General in failing to forge consensus on priorities and the 
elimination OECD bodies that no longer made sense. 
 
2.  Bejarano said the Spanish government is seriously 
studying the US proposal. In general, it coincides with the 
direction Spain believes the reform should take, though 
clearly smaller OECD states will be instinctively concerned 
about any proposal that eliminates consensus, very 
reminiscent of other debates currently going on in Europe. 
He cautioned that this was a preliminary reaction which had 
yet to be vetted on the interministerial level.  With 
elections scheduled March 14, an interministerial meeting to 
consider the proposal would be unlikely until just before the 
ECSS meeting.  Also, with anticipated changes in the 
political level of relevant ministries, Bejarano doubted that 
Spain would come to the ECSS able to voice a well-defined 
position.  He promised a readout of interministerial 
deliberations. 
 
3.  Bejarano currently plans to attend the March 29-30 ECSS. 
 
ARGYROS