US embassy cable - 04MADRID1861

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001861 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP, NATO, American - Spanish Relations 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR EUROPE AND 
NORTH AMERICA 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen M. Fitzpatrick for reasons 
1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C)  PolCouns and poloff paid an initial call May 17 with 
the MFA's newly-named Director General for Europe and North 
America, former Spanish Ambassador to Denmark and Lithuania 
Josep (Pepe) Pons.  Previously, the Directorate General for 
North America had been combined with the Asia portfolio, an 
area in which Spain has very few interests.  Under FM 
Moratinos, however, the MFA has reshuffled portfolios, 
combining North America with bilateral relations with Europe 
(EU issues will be handled in a different directorate). 
 
2.  (C)  Pons told us that in his view the MFA's 
restructuring of departments to bring Europe and North 
America together was a good move, because there are few 
issues that do not touch both Europe and the U.S.  Pons 
averred there was no contradiction in Spain's desire for 
excellent relations within an integrated Europe and strong 
US-Spain ties.  He noted that most of his experience during 
his thirty year career has been working in Europe or on 
European issues, but said that he would address U.S. issues 
with equal vigor.  However, he also indicated that the 
European portfolio -- including bilateral relations with some 
25 European countries -- would require frequent travel. 
 
3.  (C)  We noted to Pons that even as the USG has expressed 
disappointment with the Spanish troop withdrawals from Iraq, 
the USG looks forward to cooperating with Spain on a variety 
of issues.  We noted that we have heard across the board from 
the new government -- from highest levels to lower levels and 
in the Parliament -- that the new government desires good 
relations with the U.S.  We stressed that we looked forward 
to concrete steps to breathe life into this sentiment and to 
build our relationship.  Pons agreed that counter-terrorism, 
as well as Afghanistan are two key areas of common interest. 
He said he had been charged by Minister Moratinos to come up 
with "visible areas of cooperation".  Our common interests in 
Latin America, he agreed, also offered an area ripe for 
continued US-Spain cooperation.   He also noted the GOS's 
appreciation for the U.S.'s strong support and assistance in 
securing the appointment of Spanish Ambassador Ruperez as 
Executive Director of the UN Counter Terrorism Committee. 
4.  (C)  On Afghanistan, we stressed to Pons the importance 
of Spain's response to our request for augmenting Spanish 
troop presence there (this meeting took place before receipt 
of reftel, though the Afghanistan issue has been a subject of 
continued dialogue with the new government).  We also took 
the opportunity to make clear that a Spanish vote in favor of 
the ICC UNSC rollover resolution would be one area in which 
Spain could show it still plans to cooperate with the U.S. 
Pons hedged a bit and said the GOS is taking a very close 
look at the issue, but "certain unfortunate circumstances" 
had arisen (a clear reference to the Iraq prisoner scandal: 
however, he is the first and only GOS interlocutor on the ICC 
rollover issue to directly and overtly connect the two 
issues) that made the issue more difficult.  Pons noted that 
Moratinos had consulted on the ICC rollover issue with EU 
counterparts.  (Note:  Before and after this meeting, the USG 
has raised this issue at higher levels, including with 
Moratinos, who has expressed Spain's strong desire to abstain 
on the resolution). 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  While the atmospherics of this first 
meeting with one of our primary interlocutors was pleasant, 
the impression we took away was that we will have to work on 
Pons in order to ensure he focuses appropriately on 
U.S.-Spain issues, given his broad bilateral Europe 
portfolio.  As with other new GOS interlocutors, we heard the 
message that the government wants to have good relations with 
the U.S., as the Socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez had 
with the U.S. under Presidents Reagan and former President 
Bush.  However, the devil remains in the details, and we will 
continue to stress our desire for concrete examples of 
cooperation. 
ARGYROS