US embassy cable - 04MADRID1716

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2014 
TAGS: PREL, SP, UNSC, KICC 
SUBJECT: SPANISH POSITION ON ROLLOVER OF UNSCR 1487 
 
REF: STATE 98319 
 
Classified By: Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Political Counselor, for Reasons 1 
.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) We delivered reftel demarche to Inigo de Palacio, MFA 
Director of UN Affairs, on May 7.  De Palacio stated while no 
decision had yet been made, Spain may abstain on the vote to 
roll over UN Security Council Resolution 1487 this year.  He 
said that the change from voting in favor to abstaining on 
the resolution springs from GOS concerns that the rollover of 
the deferral of ICC investigations and prosecutions for UN 
peacekeepers has become seen as an automatic and blanket 
renewal, which the MFA believes may violate the Article 16 
provisions of the ICC.  De Palacio commented that even if 
Spain abstains, he believed that the rollover of the 
resolution would still garner enough yes votes to pass. 
PolCouns stressed how important it would be to have Spain on 
board on this issue and that the rollover vote should not be 
a forum to re-argue our differences regarding the ICC.  De 
Palacio said that he would present our position to the MFA, 
but that he did not expect a final decision to be made until 
the following week. 
 
2. (C) Regarding the timing of the UNSC vote, De Palacio 
stated that Spain, regardless of its vote, would support the 
USG in having the ICC resolution rollover voted on this month. 
MANZANARES