US embassy cable - 05MADRID1749

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001749 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PM, WHA/AND, EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2015 
TAGS: MASS, MARR, PREL, SP, VZ 
SUBJECT: SPAIN-VENEZUELA ARMS TRANSFERS: DEMARCHE ON U.S. 
THIRD-PARTY TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS 
 
REF: STATE 79694 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kathy Fitzpatrick; reasons 1.4 (b) a 
nd (d). 
 
1. (C) Poloff met with MFA Office Director for International 
Disarmament and Terrorism Issues Marcos Rodriguez on May 9 to 
convey reftel points on U.S. third-party transfer 
requirements related to Spain's sale of weapons to Venezuela. 
 Rodriguez (protect) said that he was "one of many" in the 
MFA who believed both the arms sale and the Zapatero 
government's entire approach to Venezuela were serious 
mistakes.  Nevertheless, the arms sale had been concluded and 
Rodriguez said it made sense to begin focusing on details 
related to the transfer.  He thanked poloff for the demarche 
and said he would relay the USG points to the MOD and other 
participants in Spain's interagency team that will oversee 
the weapons sale. 
 
2. (C) Rodriguez said that internal discussions had been 
underway for some time on possible USG objections to elements 
of the sale to Venezuela.  It was his understanding that the 
aircraft in question (CN-235 and CN-295) would be sold to 
Venezuela in their most basic configuration and the GOS 
calculated that the USG would be unlikely to object to that 
transfer.  However, GOS officials were much less confident 
regarding the four coastal patrol boats and the four 
"ocean-going patrol boats."  Though the GOS has not made a 
final determination regarding the configuration of the eight 
vessels, the technological complexity of the ships makes it 
more likely that there will be components which the USG would 
not like to see transferred to Venezuela.  Rodriguez said he 
would provide the Embassy any GOS feedback regarding reftel 
points and assured poloff of Spain's desire to avoid any 
miscommunication on the weapons transfer to Venezuela. 
MANZANARES