US embassy cable - 05MADRID2609

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002609 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, SP, UN 
SUBJECT: SPAIN'S VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE JULY 18-19 FOREIGN 
MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) 
 
REF: SECSTATE 124856 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo Zuniga for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
1. (C) Per reftel instructions, poloff discussed Turkey, the 
UN High-Level Event on Millennium Review, Syria, Iran and 
Uzbekistan with Carlos Fernandez-Arias, MFA EU Policy 
Coordinator (and Special Assistant to MFA Political Director 
Dezcallar) on July 11. 
 
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Turkey 
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2. (C) Fernandez-Arias said Spain has always been a supporter 
of Turkey's accession to the European Union, and that has not 
changed. Spain plans to support the current schedule for EU 
accession talks with Turkey to begin on October 3. 
Fernandez-Arias then added that Spain recognizes that there 
may be shifts in the EU consensus on this issue, particularly 
with the upcoming German elections, and it will re-evaluate 
its position to take into account that consensus. 
 
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UN High-Level Event 
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3. (SBU) Fernandez-Arias said that Spain was in complete 
agreement on goals for the UN High-Level Event on Millennium 
Review. He affirmed Spain's belief that the Monterrey 
Consensus was about partnership between rich and poor 
countries, working together for development goals. Spain 
supports the United States' belief in the importance of 
democratic and economic reform and institution building, 
processes which take time but bring long-term benefits to the 
developing world. 
 
4. (SBU) Spain also agrees on the need to move forward on 
areas of UN reform where there is broad consensus, and 
Fernandez-Arias communicated that Spain would not support 
holding up other areas of reform to while negotiating changes 
to the UN Security Council, which will likely take time. 
 
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Syria and Lebanon 
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5. (C) Fernandez-Arias said Spain was in agreement with the 
need to support the new Lebanese government, and understands 
as well the need to be strict with Syria. Nonetheless, Spain 
feels that there needs to be "political breathing room" for 
Syria, to give opposition forces the chance to maneuver. The 
Spanish believe that even if the EU does not move forward 
immediately on its Association Agreement with Syria, it 
should not take the agreement off the table entirely, which 
would merely leave Syria on the defensive, and would not in 
any event deter the Syrian security services, for whom the 
agreement is not important. Given the changes and reforms 
going on all around Syria, Spain thinks it best to show its 
support for positive movements in Lebanon, Iraq and the 
Palestinian Authority, thereby showing Syria the best way 
forward. 
 
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Iran 
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6. (C) Fernandez-Arias expressed Spain's appreciation for US 
support of the EU-3, and said Spain agrees that the EU should 
continue to be firm with Iran about its nuclear commitments, 
and should report Iran to the UN Security Council in case of 
any breach of the Paris Agreement. He said that Spain also 
thinks the USG's allowing Iran to enter into negotiations to 
join the WTO was a helpful gesture that will pay off. 
 
7. (C) Fernandez-Arias admitted that there is much 
trepidation in the Spanish MFA following the Iranian 
elections, and agreed that there were certainly flaws in the 
election process. 
 
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Uzbekistan 
---------- 
8. (C) Fernandez-Arias said Spain agrees with reftel points 
on Uzbekistan, and stated that in light of the passing of 
the June 30 deadline, the EU already has concrete measures 
planned: an arms embargo and visa restrictions. As far as 
Spain knows, those plans are not being moderated. The Spanish 
are concerned because they use an Uzbek military base for 
their operations in Afghanistan, but if necessary, he said 
the GOS would seek other options in the region. 
AGUIRRE