US embassy cable - 04MADRID2964

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002964 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, AF, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN UNDETERRED BY FAHIM'S REMOVAL FROM VICE 
PRESIDENTIAL TICKET 
 
REF: STATE 162903 
 
Classified By: KATHLEEN M. FITZPATRICK, POLITICAL COUNSELOR. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D) 
 
(C)  We met with Carlos Morales, Deputy Director General for 
Continental Asia (and former Deputy DG for Pacific, Southeast 
Asia and the Philippines Affairs) August 2 to hear whether 
Spain's engagement in Afghanistan would be affected by 
President Karzai's decision to remove Fahim Khan from the 
vice presidential ticket (reftel).  Morales told us that 
Spain had sent a delegation of defense officials to meet with 
the former defense minister after President Karzai decided to 
drop him from the election ticket.  Morales said that he had 
not seen a read-out on the delegation's meeting, but he did 
not expect that President Karzai's decision would deter Spain 
from fulfilling its commitment to sending troops and, and 
possibly, civilian volunteers to assist in Afghanistan's 
presidential elections in September.  Morales stated that 
Spain shares our desire to promote stability and democratic 
reform in Afghanistan in the support of the Afghani people. 
MANZANARES