US embassy cable - 04MADRID4427

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 004427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/SAT, OES/STC, EUR/ERA, STAS, EAP/J, AND 
EUR/WE 
DEPARTMENT ALSO PASS TO NASA/EXTERNAL RELATIONS, NATIONAL 
SCIENCE FOUNDATION (JHUDSON), AND EST COLLECTIVE 
DOE FOR OFFICE OF SCIENCE DIRECTOR RAY ORBACH 
WHITE HOUSE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SCIENCE ADVISOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OSCI, TSPA, ENRG, TSPL, TNGD, TRGY, SP 
SUBJECT: SPANISH ON ITER, EXTREMELY LARGE TELESCOPE 
PROJECT, AND EXPANDING OFFICIAL SCIENCE COOPERATION 
 
REF: MADRID 4116 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request for OES/SAT and OES/STC: 
see paragraphs 5 and 6 (respectively). 
 
2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Senior Spanish Science officials continue 
to believe that France will ultimately cut a deal with Japan 
that will bring the ITER to the French site along with 
sufficient guarantees of a prominent Japanese 
construction/operation role.  A team from the Spanish Science 
Ministry would like to visit the U.S. to pitch the Canary 
Islands as a possible site for the "Extremely Large 
Telescope" project.  Spanish science officials believe we 
could expand and/or highlight bilateral science cooperation 
to help overcome recent bumps in the bilateral relationship 
caused by Spain's spring decision to withdraw its troops from 
Iraq.  Embassy Madrid stands ready to facilitate expanded 
science cooperation if there is interest from Washington 
technical agencies.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (SBU)  In a 90 minute November 12 meeting with ESTHOFF, 
Spanish General Secretary (U/S equivalent) for Science and 
Technology Policy Salvador Barbera Sandez and Director 
General (A/S equivalent) for Technology Policy Carlos 
Alejaldre Losilla pushed for expanded S and T cooperation 
with the U.S., reiterated GOS support for the six-party ITER 
framework, and requested to meet with "key U.S. players" on 
the Extremely Large Telescope Project to push the Canary 
Islands as a possible host site. 
 
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ITER 
---- 
 
4.  (SBU) Alejaldre, the GOS point person on ITER, said he 
remained confident that France and Japan would nail down a 
deal based on the Japanese "host/non-host" proposal that 
would bring the ITER to France along with sufficient 
guarantees of a prominent Japanese construction/operation 
role.  He said that while the two sides were haggling about 
the "price," Spain would continue to push France to cut a 
deal and leave behind any possible temptation toward pursuing 
an EU-centric ITER without Japan and the U.S.  Alejaldre said 
he would fly to Paris on November 24 for meetings with French 
officials prior to the November 25-6 meeting where a final EU 
decision may be reached.  ESTHOFF reiterated U.S. support for 
the six-party framework and encouraged Alejaldre to continue 
to push the French to come to terms with Japan. 
 
------------------------- 
EXTREMELY LARGE TELESCOPE 
------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) Alejaldre said the Extremely Large Telescope 
Project "had the potential to turn into another ITER." 
(Note:  We presume he meant a possible counterproductive 
pissing contest between an EU candidate site and other 
possible locations.  End Note.)  As a result, Alejaldre would 
like to lead a delegation of Spanish S and T officials to the 
U.S. to lay out Madrid's case for installing the Extremely 
Large Telescope in Spain (most likely on the Canary Islands). 
 Alejaldre would like to meet and brief the "key U.S. 
players" on this issue.  He recognized that the U.S. might 
have its own candidate site but thought it would be useful to 
lay Spain's cards out on the table earlier rather than later. 
 ESTHOFF said he would obtain the contact details of the key 
U.S. players on this project as well as the name of an 
individual who could coordinate with Alejaldre's staff 
regarding a possible visit to the U.S.  Embassy requests 
OES/SAT assistance in providing a response to Alejaldre. 
Response may be emailed to ESTHOFF Ken Forder at 
forderk@state.gov. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
EXPANDED S AND T COOPERATION WITH U.S. 
-------------------------------------- 
6.  (SBU)  Barbera underscored recent bilateral tensions over 
Spain's spring decision to withdraw its troops from Iraq and 
argued that highlighting and/or expanding bilateral S and T 
cooperation would be one excellent way to get the 
relationship back on track.  Thinking aloud, he proposed a 
possible 2005 visit to the U.S. by the Spanish Education and 
Science Minister and/or some sort of U.S.-Spanish S and T 
symposium as two possible mechanisms to achieve that goal. 
Barbera wondered who in the USG would be an appropriate 
interlocutor to discuss such ideas.  Alejaldre suggested 
either the office of White Office Science Advisor or DOE's 
Office of Science.  ESTHOFF indicated he would request 
Washington guidance regarding whether there was interest in 
expanded bilateral S and T cooperation at this time, and if 
so, who might spearhead such an effort on the Washington side 
of the equation.  Embassy requests OES/STC assistance in 
providing a response to Barbera.  Response may be emailed to 
ESTHOFF Ken Forder at forderk@state.gov. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (SBU) Good news on ITER (if it is true).  As reported in 
reftel, Spain continues to have a burr under its butt about 
France beating it out as the EU ITER candidate site and thus 
offers us opportunities to triangulate on this issue 
vis-a-vis Paris.  We strongly recommend that appropriate U.S. 
authorities receive Alejaldre and his team to discuss Spain's 
pitch for the Extremely Large Telescope Project.  Even if we 
have our own site in mind, we could at a minimum use the 
visit to glean interesting information regarding EU 
intentions.  Barbera has clearly energized his minions to 
press ESTHOFF for a general effort to expand S and T 
cooperation.  ESTHOFF has recently heard the same message 
from many others who work both under and alongside Barbera on 
these issues.  The constant theme is that we need to 
highlight good news in the bilateral relationship and S and T 
cooperation offers an attractive way to do so.  Whether we 
want to do this at this time has clear policy implications. 
Should appropriate Washington authorities be interested in 
any effort to either highlight or expand S and T cooperation, 
Embassy Madrid would appreciate the contact details of 
someone who could honcho the required inter-agency process on 
the Washington end. 
ARGYROS