US embassy cable - 04MADRID2483

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MADRID 002483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, EAID, SP, Spanish Election March 2004, PSOE - Socialist Party 
SUBJECT: SPAIN - BIOGRAPHIES ON MFA DIRECTORS GENERAL 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) This cable provides biographies on 
new directors general in the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and the Spanish Agency for International 
Cooperation (AECI, Spain's equivalent of USAID).  GOS 
directors general are roughly equivalent to State 
Department assistant secretaries; AECI directors 
general are roughly equivalent to AID assistant 
administrators.  End Summary. 
 
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
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2. (SBU) The following are directors general in the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 
 
A.  Director General of Foreign Policy for Europe and 
North America - JOSE MARIA PONS IRAZAZABAL (replaces 
Gerardo Angel Bugallo) 
 
Born April 1948 in Palma de Mallorca, Pons holds a 
degree in law and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps 
in 1974. Pons served in Poland and Switzerland.  He was 
executive adviser in the Cabinet of the Secretary of 
State for Relations with the European Communities.  He 
was also director and assistant spokesperson for the 
International Affairs Department of the Office of the 
President.  In 1995, Pons was named ambassador to the 
Netherlands.  In 2001, he was Spain's ambassador to 
Denmark. 
 
B.  Director General of Foreign Policy for the 
Mediterranean, Near East and Africa - ALVARO IRANZO 
GUTIERREZ 
 
Born August 1955 in San Sebastian, Iranzo holds a 
degree in law and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps 
in 1981.  He served in Gabon, Mozambique and Algeria. 
He moved from the number two (deputy director) to the 
number one position (director) in the North African 
affairs office.  Later, he was Spain's ambassador 
to Angola.  Since 2001, Iranzo has been ambassador 
to Malaysia. 
 
C.  Director General of Foreign Policy for Latin 
America - FRANCISCO JAVIER SANDOMINGO NUNEZ. 
 
Born January 1954 in A Coruna, Sandomingo has a degree 
in law.  He entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 
1980.  He served in Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand and Cuba. 
He was deputy director of eastern European affairs and 
consul general in Hong Kong.  Before assuming his 
current position, Sandomingo had been Spain's 
ambassador to Zimbabwe. 
 
D. Director General of Foreign Policy for Asia and the 
Pacific - JOSE EUGENIO SALARICH FERNANDEZ DE 
VALDERRAMA 
 
Born January 1955 in Madrid, Salarich holds a degree 
in law and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 
1981.  He served in Cameroon, Spain's Permanent Mission to 
the UN and Spain's mission to the Holy See.  He was 
deputy director of European political cooperation, and 
EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.  In 1997, 
Salarich was named ambassador to Mozambique.  In 2001, 
he was named ambassador to Thailand. 
 
E. Director General of Foreign Communication - CARMEN 
FONTES MUNOZ. 
 
Born February 1953 in Madrid, Fontes holds a degree in 
law and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1979. 
Fontes served in Austria and France.  She was 
executive advisor in the cabinet of the minister of 
foreign affairs and deputy director in the Office of 
Analysis and Planning of Foreign Policy.  In 1997, she 
was Spain's DCM in Germany.  In 2002, Fontes served as 
culture and cooperation advisor in Spain's embassy in 
Russia. 
 
F.  Director General of the Foreign Service - DIEGO 
MUNIZ LOVELACE. 
 
Born April 1951 in Gijon, Muniz holds a degree in law 
and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1977. 
He served in Sweden and Denmark.  He was deputy 
director of immigration and participation in the 
office of the director general of consular affairs, 
and consul general in Antwerp. In 1996, Muniz was 
Spain's DCM in Portugal.  In 2001, he was Spain's DCM 
in Mexico. 
G. Director General of Consular Affairs and Assistance 
- MIGUEL ANGEL DE FRUTOS GOMEZ. 
 
Born September 1948 in Segovia, De Frutos Gomez holds 
a degree in law and entered the Spanish diplomatic 
corps in 1976. He served in Egypt, Spain's Permanent 
Delegation to the OECD, Turkey, and Portugal.  He was 
deputy director general of cultural promotion for the 
Institute of Latin American Cooperation at Spain's 
Agency for International Cooperation, and deputy 
director general of cultural promotion at the 
Institute of International Cooperation.  In 1998, De 
Frutos Gomez was deputy director general of juridical 
affairs.  Since 2002, he has been deputy director 
general of foreign affairs. 
H.  Director of International Economic Relations - 
EMILIO FERNANDEZ-CASTANO Y DIAZ-CONEJA 
 
Born January 1950 in Santander, Fernandez-Castano 
holds a degree in law and entered the Spanish 
diplomatic corps in 1980.  He has served in Poland and 
in Spain's mission to the European Communities (EC). 
He was deputy director of EC Coordination and 
Institutional Relations, chief of staff for the 
secretary of state for the EC, and secretary of state 
 
SIPDIS 
for the European Union.  In 1997, Fernandez-Castano 
was named ambassador to Australia.  In 2001, he was 
named ambassador to Algeria. 
 
I.  Director General of Cultural and Scientific 
Relations - ALFONS MARTINELL SEMPERE 
 
Born in 1948, Martinell holds a doctoral degree in the 
science of education from the University of Girona, a 
degree in philosophy and letters from the Autonomous 
University of Barcelona, and a master's degree in 
primary education from the University of Barcelona. 
Martinell has held several positions in the city 
council of Girona as a specialist in education and 
culture.  He was director of studies director at the 
Euro-American Campus of Cultural Cooperation of 
Barcelona, Cartagena de Indias and Sevilla.  Martinell 
also directed cultural management seminars in Mexico 
and Chile.  Before his recent appointment, Martinell 
was the director of the UNESCO professorship at the 
University of Girona, tenured professor at the 
University of Girona, president of the INTERARTS 
foundation of Barcelona, and coordinator of the 
IBERFORMAT Network of Training Centers for cultural 
management in Latin America. 
 
J.  ARTURO LACLAUSTRA BELTRAN - Director General of 
International Affairs for Terrorism, the United 
Nations, and Multilateral Organizations 
Born 1948 in Barcelona, LaClaustra holds a degree in 
law and entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1974. 
He has been posted in Canada, Morocco, and Spain's 
Permanent Mission to the UN.  He was chief of protocol 
for President Felipe Gonzalez, deputy director for 
Western European Affairs, chief of cabinet for the 
Government's Minister-spokesperson, deputy director 
general for North America and deputy chief of mission 
in Spain's Permanent Mission before the UN.  In 1999, 
LaClaustra was named deputy director general for 
foreign affairs.  Before assuming his current 
position, LaClaustra was DCM in Lisbon. 
 
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Spanish Agency for International Cooperation 
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3. (SBU) The following are directors general in 
Spain's Agency for International Cooperation (AECI): 
 
A.  Director General of Cooperation with Latin America 
- AURORA DAZ-RATO REVUELTA. 
 
Born February 1957 in Madrid, Diaz-Rato holds a degree 
in law.  She entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 
1983.  She served in Costa Rica and Ireland.  She was 
assistant spokesperson in the cabinet of the minister 
of foreign affairs, deputy director general of Western 
Europe, and assistant deputy director general in the 
office of the ecretary general for European affairs. 
Since 2002, she has been assistant spokesperson in the 
office of the director general for the coordination of 
general and technical affairs with the European Union. 
 
B. Director General of Cooperation with Africa, Asia 
and Eastern Europe - RICARDO MARTINEZ VAZQUEZ. 
 
Born June 1958 in Seville, Martinez holds a degree in 
law. He entered the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1987. 
He served in Spain's Permanent Mission to the United 
Nations and International Organization in Geneva and 
Panama.  He was technical advisor to the diplomatic 
information bureau and deputy director general of 
cooperation with Eastern Europe and Asia at AECI. 
Since 2002, Martinez has served as deputy director 
general of cooperation with Mediterranean countries 
and Eastern Europe at AECI. 
 
ARGYROS