US embassy cable - 04MADRID1832

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001832 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, CU, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN: MFA OFFICIAL SEES NO CHANGE IN CUBA POLICY 
 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen M. Fitzpatrick, reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Poloff met May 18 with Pablo Gomez de Olea, 
the MFA's deputy director general for Mexico, Central America 
and the Caribbean.  Gomez assured us the Zapatero government 
will maintain a tough stance on Cuba and will not 
unilaterally backtrack on the EU's strict common position on 
Cuba.  In Gomez de Olea's opinion, although a minority of the 
Socialist Party (PSOE) would like to see President Rodriguez 
Zapatero soften Spain's position on Cuba and open some kind 
of dialog with Fidel Castro, the majority of Socialists do 
not believe progress is possible with Castro and back the 
tough line Spain has taken consistent with the EU.  End 
summary. 
 
2.  (C) With Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Angel 
Moratinos' recent meeting with his Mexican counterpart Derbez 
as a backdrop, poloff met May 18 with Gomez de Olea to "take 
the MFA's temperature" on the outlook for GOS relations with 
Cuba under the Zapatero administration.  Moratinos had 
commented after his discussions with Derbez that Spain wanted 
to take a "calm" approach to Cuba.  Gomez de Olea emphasized 
that in his opinion there will be no change in Spain's policy 
toward Cuba under the Zapatero government.  "The minister may 
have used some unfortunate verbiage," he said, "but the fact 
is, even if Zapatero wanted to soften Spain's tough stance it 
would be very difficult to do it because the EU common 
position on Cuba is very strict, and Zapatero is very much in 
favor of following the EU position on this and other issues. 
 
3.  (C) Gomez de Olea acknowledged there are those in PSOE 
who would like to see Zapatero renew some kind of dialog with 
Castro (the far left-leaning Socialists) but the majority of 
PSOE officials understand dialog with Castro has produced no 
progress in the past and will not produce more in the future. 
 Although Zapatero is not likely to deliver the same degree 
of vitriol to Castro in his public statements as Aznar did, 
the Zapatero government will act consistently with the EU, 
demanding the release of dissident prisoners and the 
beginning of democratic changes on the island. 
 
4.  (C) Finally Gomez de Olea remarked that the substantial 
economic interests Spanish companies have on the island will 
not pressure the Zapatero government to moderate Spain's 
position on Cuba.  For some time, Castro himself has seen the 
wisdom of separating the two, understanding that he will only 
cause himself economic pain if he makes life difficult for 
Spanish businesses. 
ARGYROS