US embassy cable - 04MADRID4381

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SPAIN SUPPORTS TURKISH EU ACCESSION

Identifier: 04MADRID4381
Wikileaks: View 04MADRID4381 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Madrid
Created: 2004-11-16 11:35:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: ECIN PREL EU TU SP
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 004381 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2014 
TAGS: ECIN, PREL, EU, TU, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS TURKISH EU ACCESSION 
 
REF: STATE 240286 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen Fitzpatrick for Reasons 1.4 
 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Spain supports Turkish EU candidacy, a policy that 
has remained consistent through both the Popular Party 
administration of Jose Maria Aznar and the current Socialist 
administration of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.  MFA EU 
Correspondent Luis Canovas del Castillo told Poloff November 
15 that Spain has always seen Turkey's entry into the EU as a 
positive development.  The EU has been expanding northward 
and eastward, and the GOS would welcome balance in EU 
expansion with another Mediterranean voice.  Enrique Mora 
Benavente, MFA Head of EU Policy Planning, told Poloff that 
while other states may say they support Turkey's entrance 
into the EU and offer only tepid support, Spain strongly 
supports Turkey's candidacy. 
 
2.  (C)  Although the current government of Spain favors 
Turkish accession to the EU, the issue is not its highest EU 
priority.  Canovas believes that questions concerning Turkish 
accession talks may be frozen until the EU Constitution has 
passed in several nations.  A strong and functioning European 
Commission is also a priority of many EU member states. 
Canovas said he would not be surprised if either Cyprus or 
Greece added conditions to Turkish accession, such as the 
settlement of the Cyprus problem as a condition of entry. 
 
3.  (C)  COMMENT:  Spain supports Turkish entry into the EU 
and would vote in favor of Turkish accession today.  The GOS 
does not appear wedded to any particular timetable for 
Turkish accession and could be influenced by considerations 
from other EU members.  Targeted U.S. actions would unlikely 
change Spain's position, as they are already in favor of 
Turkish entry into the EU, but Spain's major EU allies, 
France and Germany, could possibly influence Spain's thinking 
towards any particular timetable for Turkish accession.  END 
COMMENT 
ARGYROS 

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