US embassy cable - 05MADRID617

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 000617 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IR, UP, MD, SU, SR, BK, CGEN 
SUBJECT: SPAIN'S VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF FEBRUARY 21 GAERC 
 
REF: A. STATE 25111 
 
     B. MADRID 490 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Robert Riley for Reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d). 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY.  We discussed Transatlantic Relations, the 
Middle East Peace Process, Iraq, the Western Balkans, 
Ukraine/Moldova, Sudan, the Great Lakes, and Iran with 
Enrique Mora Benavente, MFA Head of EU Planning on February 
15.  Mora Benavente said that the February 21 GAERC meeting 
would serve to set the agenda for February 22 meetings with 
President Bush and Secretary of State Rice.  The EU welcomes 
the results at the recent Sharm El Sheikh summit regarding 
the Middle East Peace Process.  Spain's proposed training 
course for Iraqi lawyers, policemen, and prison officials 
will be formally endorsed at the GAERC meeting.  The GAERC 
meeting will focus on the Kosovo issue due to the presence of 
the UN Secretary General Special Representative for Kosovo. 
The EU will sign Action Plans with Ukraine and Moldova.  The 
EU approves of peace efforts in Sudan, but prefers to use the 
International Criminal Court to resolve problems.  There will 
be no discussion of Iran at the GAERC, and the EU's February 
22 discussion with Secretary Rice on Iran will be brief 
because, according to Benavente, she has heard the same 
message numerous times.  END SUMMARY 
 
TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS 
 
2.  (C)  Mora Benavente said that the February 21 GAERC 
meetings would serve to prepare the agenda for the February 
22 EU meetings with President Bush and Secretary Rice. 
Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos will be one of the 
keynote speakers at the February 22 meetings with Secretary 
Rice; he will discuss the Middle East Peace Process.  The 
agenda for the February 22 meetings will include the Middle 
East Peace Process, Iraq, Iran, the Western Balkans, and 
possibly Ukraine. 
 
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 
 
3.  (C)  The EU welcomes the results of the Sharm El Sheikh 
summit.  Spain looks forward to the London meetings on 
Palestinian reform during the first of March.  Mora Benavente 
said that there would probably be discussion of the recent 
assasination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. 
He noted that in his opinion Hariri had done more than any 
other Lebanese citizen to improve the lives of ordinary 
Lebanese since the end of the Lebanese civil war. 
 
IRAQ 
 
4.  (C)  Spain will provide a training course for Iraqi 
lawyers, policemen, and prison officials that will formally 
be endorsed at the GAERC meeting.  The EU will be involved in 
thirteen training courses.  Spain's training course will be 
held in Spain.  Spain gave USD 20 million for Iraqi election 
efforts under the UN framework and is currently looking for 
ways to spend close to USD 140 million of the USD 300 million 
pledged during the Madrid Iraqi Donor Conference.  (NOTE: 
Further details of Spanish intentions for spending in Iraq 
can be found in Ref B.)  The GAERC meeting will call on the 
Sunnis to further integrate in Iraq's political process.  The 
Spanish are encouraging the EU to upgrade its presence in 
Iraq to a mission.  A permanent presence of the EU will be 
needed in order to select recipients for the numerous 
training courses.  Spain is seriously considering upgrading 
its presence in Iraq by changing its current Charge 
d'Affaires to an Ambassador and adding additional staff; 
Spain's future staffing in Iraq will be dependent on the 
security situation and the political process. 
 
WESTERN BALKANS 
 
5.  (C)  UN Secretary General Special Representative for 
Kosovo Soren Jessen-Petersen will address the GAERC meeting. 
Discussions of the Western Balkans will focus on the 
situation in Kosovo.  The EU agrees with U.S. goals on 
priorities and standards in Kosovo.  Croatian accession to 
the EU may also be discussed.  The EU encourages Croatia to 
deliver Gotovina to the Hague prior to starting EU accession 
talks.  Croatian accession talks are scheduled to begin March 
17, and Mora Benavente told Poloff that the decision to begin 
or cancel accession talks on March 17 is now up to the EU 
Presidency, currently run by Luxembourg.  Spain's view is 
that Croatia is so eager to start EU accession talks that 
they will do anything not to upset accession talks, including 
delivering Gotovina quickly. 
 
UKRAINE / MOLDOVA 
 
6.  (C)  The EU will sign Action Plans for Ukraine and 
Moldova immediately following the GAERC meeting at 
Cooperation Councils held individually with both countries. 
 
SUDAN 
 
7.  (C)  Spain welcomed the recent peace agreements signed 
between warring factions in Sudan, and favored EU efforts to 
give assistance to the Sudanese as a peace dividend.  The EU 
is still very concerned about the situation in Darfur and is 
waiting for UNSC action regarding sanctions.  If sanctions 
are approved by the UNSC, the EU will support the sanctions. 
If sanctions are not approved, the EU will look at other 
measures that can be taken.  Spain fully supports the 
International Criminal Court and believes this is the proper 
forum for accountability for the atrocities in Darfur. 
 
GREAT LAKES 
 
8.  (C)  The EU welcomes U.S. initiatives in the Great Lakes. 
 EU Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Aldo Ajello reported 
that there were good discussions at the Tripartite Joint 
Commission talks in Washington in February. 
 
IRAN 
 
9.  (C)  Poloff asked Mora Benavente if the GAERC meeting 
would take up Iran, since the EU was putting Iran on the 
agenda for talks with both President Bush and Secretary Rice. 
 He said that Iran would not be discussed at the GAERC 
meeting and that discussion with Secretary Rice concerning 
Iran would be brief on February 22 since the EU had already 
"informed Rice several times" that the EU prefers a 
negotiated settlement in Iran.  Mora Benavente said that Iran 
is basically looking for three things:  (1) support for its 
civilian use of nuclear power, (2) increased economic 
cooperation, and (3) security guarantees.  He said that the 
EU could deliver on the first two of Iran's goals but that 
only the U.S. could give Iran security guarantees.  He told 
Poloff that high-ranking members of the Spanish MFA and the 
Spanish Ambassador in Tehran believe that the U.S. is waiting 
for the results of the Iranian presidential elections in June 
to see if the U.S. can work with the new team before the U.S. 
"takes any actions" in Iran. 
MANZANARES