US embassy cable - 04MADRID1620

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MADRID 001620 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, SP, Spanish Election March 2004, PSOE - Socialist Party 
SUBJECT: SPAIN BIOS ON NEW FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND 
DEFENSE OFFICIALS 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  This is the second of a three 
part series on new top-level officials in the 
Spanish government.  Biographical information on 
officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
the Ministry of the Defense is provided.  See 
septels for bios on the Office of the President, 
and Ministries of the Presidency, Defense, 
Interior and Justice.  End Summary. 
 
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
--------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) The following officials have been named 
to senior MFA positions. (Note: GOS secretaries 
of state are the rough equivalent of USG under 
secretaries. GOS under secretaries are roughly 
 
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assistant secretary equivalents. GOS directors 
general are roughly PDAS equivalents.  End Note) 
 
(A)  BERNARDINO LEON GROSS - Secretary of State 
for Foreign Affairs and Latin America (He will 
essentially serve as the number two in the MFA, 
in the way that Ramon Gil Casares did in the 
previous government) 
 
Bernardino Leon was born in Mlaga in 1964.  He 
has a degree in law from the University of 
Madrid, and did post-graduate studies in 
international relations at King's College and the 
Sorbonne. 
 
Leon joined the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1990. 
He was chief of cabinet for the president of the 
Quincentennary Commission and was involved in the 
organization of the first Latin American Summits. 
 
He was charge de affaires in Monrovia and consul 
general in Algeria (1992-95).  In 1995 he was 
appointed minister counselor in Athens in charge 
of European and Balkan affairs. 
 
Later, Leon joined Miguel Angel Moratinos, 
Spain's former envoy to the Middle East and 
current Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the 
European Union.  Since September 2001 he has been 
the director of the Foundation of Three Cultures. 
This Foundation studies relations between 
traditional Jewish, Arab, and Christian 
communities in Spain. 
 
Leon speaks excellent English. 
 
(B) ALBERTO NAVARRO GONZALEZ - Secretary of State 
for the European Union 
 
Navarro was born March 1955 in Santa Cruz de 
Tenerife.  He holds a degree in law.  He entered 
the diplomatic service in April 1980.  He has 
served in Honduras, Czechoslovakia, and in the 
Spain's Mission to the European Community (EC). 
He served as deputy director general for the 
coordination of EC Cooperation Programs, director 
general of EC Institutional and Judicial 
Coordination, and director general/chief of 
cabinet for the minister of foreign affairs.   In 
1997, Navarro became director of the Department 
for the Humanitarian Aid of the European 
Community (ECHO).  Later, he was Javier Solana's 
chief of cabinet.  Since September 2003, Navarro 
has served as ambassador and chief of the 
European Commission delegation in Brazil. 
 
(C) LOUIS CALVO MERINO - Under Secretary of 
Foreign Affairs and Cooperation 
 
Calvo, born in 1948 in Malaga, holds a degree in 
law, philosophy, and letters.  He entered the 
diplomatic corps in 1980.  Calvo has been 
secretary general of the Institute of Latin 
 
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American Cooperation, consul general in Havana, 
deputy director general of legislative procedures 
in the State Secretariat for the Relations with 
Spanish Parliament.  In 1991, he was named 
ambassador to Kenya.  In May 1994, he served as 
director general of Conscientious Objection in 
the Ministry of Justice and Interior.   Later he 
served as assistant permanent representative for 
international organizations in Vienna and consul 
general in Frankfurt.  Calvo last served as 
inspector general of services for the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs. 
 
(D) JAVIER DE SANCHO VELAZQUEZ - Director of the 
Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
De Sancho, born May 1964 in Seville, holds a 
degree in political science and sociology from 
the Complutenese University of Madrid, and a 
master's degree in International Relations from 
Universite Libre of Brussels. 
 
De Sancho has served in the Office of the 
Director General for Environment of the European 
Commission.  He was a member the European 
Parliament.  He also served in the European 
Union's liaison office to United Nation in New 
York.  He has been a personal advisor to Miguel 
Angel Moratinos when he was the EU's special 
representative for the Middle East Peace Process. 
De Sancho has also worked in the office of the 
Secretary General of the EU Council of Ministers. 
 
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(E) JUAN ANTONIO YANEZ-BARNUEVO - Permanent 
Representative to the United Nations 
 
Yan Yanez-Barnuevo was born in 1942 in Seville. 
He holds a degree in law from the Complutense 
University of Madrid.  He entered the diplomatic 
service in 1968.  Yanez-Barnuevo served in 
Spain's diplomatic mission to the United Nations 
and the Council of Europe.  He was director of 
the International Department of the Cabinet of 
the President of the Government.  In 1991, Yanez- 
Barnuevo served as Spain's Ambassador Permanent 
Representative to the United Nations.  In 1996, 
Yanez-Barnuevo was named assistant director of 
the Spain's Diplomatic School.  In 1998, he was 
named ambassador and head of the Spanish 
delegation in the Diplomatic Conference of the 
United Nations for the creation of the 
International Criminal Court.  Later, Yanez- 
Barneuvo signed on Spain's behalf the Statute of 
Rome that established the International Criminal 
Court.  Since August 2002 Yanez-Barnuevo has been 
chief of the Office of the International Legal 
Advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
Yanez-Barnuevo is married and has one son. 
 
(F) INIGO DE PALACIO ESPANA - Deputy Permanent 
Representative to the United Nations 
 
De Palacio was born June 1958 in Madrid.  He 
holds a degree in law from the Complutense 
University of Madrid and entered the diplomatic 
corps in 1981. He has served in Bolivia and 
Morocco.  He served as deputy director Land, Air, 
and Cooperation in the Office of the Director 
General of International Economic Relations, 
consul general in Porto Alegre, and advisor at 
Spain's Permanent Mission to United Nations in 
Geneva.  His last post was deputy director 
general of United Nations of the Coordination 
Unit for Spain's Participation in the UN Security 
Council. 
 
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Ministry of Defense 
------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU) The following are new officials in the 
Ministry of Defense: 
 
(A) FRANCISCO PARDO PIQUERAS - Secretary of State 
of Defense.  (He replaces Fernando Diez-Moreno) 
 
Born in Albacete in 1962, Pardo holds a degree in 
law from the University of Murcia and a master's 
degree in European Community law from the 
University of Castile-La Mancha. 
 
He was chief of cabinet for the Council on 
Agriculture and director general of institutional 
relations for the Office of the President of 
Castile-La Mancha.  He was secretary of the Joint 
Commission (between the national government and 
Castille-La Mancha) and a member of the Committee 
of the Regions of the European Union.  In 1999, 
Pardo became cabinet director of the president of 
the government of Castile-La Mancha and, later, 
of the presidency.  Since July 2003, Pardo has 
served as advisor to the President of Castile-La 
Mancha.  Pardo is married and has two children. 
 
(B) JOSE ALBERTO SAIZ CORTES - Secretary of State 
for the Director of the National Center of 
Intelligence 
 
Saiz was born the August 1953 in Cuenca.  He is a 
civil engineer and career civil servant.  In 
1989, Saiz was assigned to the delegation of 
Albacete, where he served as chief of the 
department of natural resources. 
 
He was president of the governing board of the 
Las Lagunes of Ruidera national park and director 
general of nature and environmental affairs for 
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in 
Castile-La Mancha.  Since July 2003, Saiz has 
served as regional minister on industry and 
labor.  He does not speak English. 
 
(C) FRANCISCO TORRENTE SANCHEZ - Secretary 
General for Defense Policy (replaces Javier 
Jimenez Ugarte) 
 
Torrente was born in 1944 in Galicia.  He 
graduated from the Naval War College and is an 
electronics specialist.  He joined the Spanish 
navy in 1956 and became lieutenant junior grade 
(JG) in 1961.  As lieutenant JG and lieutenant, 
Torrente served on board of the destroyers 
"Escano" and "Alava," frigate "Vicente Yanez 
Pinzon," and the amphibious ship "Castilla."  In 
1972-1973, Torrente was commanding officer of the 
minesweeper "Turia."  He was promoted to 
lieutenant in 1975 and served as chief of 
operations, fleet escort command, and was 
commanding officer of the corvette "Diana" in 
1982-1983.  In 1983, Torrente was promoted to 
commander and was appointed commanding officer of 
the frigate "Baleares" from 1987-1998.  He became 
a captain in 1989.  Among his shore assignments, 
Torrente was professor of electronics at the 
Naval Academy, professor of tactics at the Naval 
War College, chief of logistics planning section 
of the naval staff, and deputy director for 
manpower planning and procurement at the Ministry 
of Defense.  In 1992, Torrente was promoted to 
rear admiral and the navy's deputy director for 
maintenance.  In 1994, he was appointed director 
of the military cabinet of the Ministry of 
Defense.  He became vice-admiral in 1995.  In 
1997, Torrente was promoted to admiral and 
appointed director of defense policy.  On 
December 15, 2000, Torrente was given his fourth 
star and appointed chief of naval staff. 
 
Torrente has been awarded the following national 
decorations:  One Military Merit Cross, four 
Navel Merit Crosses, one Aeronautic Merit Cross, 
Grand Cross of St. Hermengelido, Military Merit 
Grand Cross and the Naval Merit Grand Cross. 
 
He has also been awarded the following foreign 
decorations:  U.S. Legion of Merit (Degree of 
Commander), French Legion of Honor (Degree of 
Commander), Turkish Armed Forces Legion of Merit, 
and the Uruguayan Honor to Naval Merit (Grand 
Medal). 
 
Admiral Torrente is married and has five 
children. 
 
(D) JUSTO TOMAS ZAMBRANA PINEDA - Under Secretary 
of Defense 
 
Born March 1947, Zambrana holds a degree in 
economic science from the University of Madrid 
and a degree in philosophy and letters from the 
University of Paris.  He was secretary general of 
the General Worker's Union (UGT) Executive 
Federation of Public Service and its Co-federal 
Executive Committee on Institutional Action.  He 
served as a national deputy for the Socialist 
Party for Cuenca in the second, third, and fourth 
legislatures.  In 1991, Zambrana was named 
secretary of state for the public administration. 
 
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In 1995, he became advisor on education and 
culture for Castile-La Mancha.  Later, he was 
advisor on public works.  Since April 2001, 
Zambrana has served as president of the Economic 
and Social Council of Castile-La Mancha. 
Zambrana is married with two children. 
 
(D) Jose Luis Fernandez Pena - Director General 
of Communications 
 
Born 1963 in Madrid, Fernandez holds a degree in 
information sciences from the Complutense 
University of Madrid.  He worked in Radio 
Intercontinental, Radio Exterior de Espana, and 
the delgationi of EFE Agency in Castile-La 
Mancha.  He was also a correspondent for El Pais 
in Toledo.  In 1990, Fernandez became information 
chief of Cadena Ser in Castile-La Mancha.  In 
1992, when his office became a part of the Press 
Office of the Presidency, Fernandez became press 
chief.  Since 1999, Fernandez has been director 
general of communications for the government of 
Castile-La Mancha. 
Argyros