US embassy cable - 05MADRID2676

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002676 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR HADLEY AND VOLKER 
EUR FOR A/S FRIED 
EUR/WE FOR ZIMMERMAN AND HALL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP, American - Spanish Relations 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ALERTS PRESIDENCY THAT OPPOSITION 
LEADER WILL VISIT WHITE HOUSE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre; reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary. The Ambassador informed Spanish National 
Security Adviser Carles Casajuana that opposition leader 
Mariano Rajoy will visit the White House as a member of a 
delegation of international political leaders.  The 
Ambassador briefed Casajuana on this issue in order to avoid 
any misinterpretation of Rajoy's visit, given frequent 
Spanish media speculation as to when/if President Bush will 
meet with President Zapatero.  Casajuana thanked the 
Ambassador for the advance notice and emphasized that there 
would be no negative response to Rajoy's visit to the White 
House.  We believe this issue has been resolved and that any 
further action would lend it unnecessary importance.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (C) Ambassador Aguirre met with Casajuana on July 18 in 
the Presidential Palace at Moncloa to discuss the upcoming 
visit to Washington of Mariano Rajoy, leader of the 
opposition Popular Party (PP), to participate in a meeting of 
the International Democratic Union (IDU).  The Ambassador 
told Casajuana that Rajoy and the other political figures 
participating in the IDU event will meet with President Bush 
on July 19 at the White House. 
 
3. (C) The Ambassador explained that he was briefing 
Casajuana on this meeting as a courtesy because the USG was 
aware of the constant focus by the Spanish media on whether 
President Bush would meet with President Zapatero.  Given the 
spirit of goodwill and transparency shown by the GOS since 
Ambassador Aguirre's arrival in Spain, the Ambassador wanted 
to be certain that President Bush's meeting with Rajoy in the 
IDU context was not misunderstood and/or misinterpreted in 
Madrid. 
 
4. (C) Casajuana expressed his appreciation for the advance 
notice and was gracious in his response.  He indicated that 
President Zapatero would take positive note of the 
Ambassador's gesture and said this issue would not result in 
any setback to the recent improvement in bilateral relations. 
 Casajuana asserted that one of the primary objectives of the 
Zapatero government was to forge a common posture with the PP 
on foreign policy similar to the Socialist-PP anti-terrorism 
pact, but had been unable to reach such an agreement thus 
far.  He said the GOS had nevertheless instructed its 
embassies to support overseas visits by opposition 
politicians. 
 
5. (C) The Ambassador noted his impression that the Spanish 
political environment seems particularly harsh at the moment 
and that he had asked PP leader Rajoy to leave the U.S. out 
of the Spanish political debate.  The Ambassador said he 
asked the same of the Socialist Party. 
 
//COMMENT// 
 
6. (C) We believe this issue has been dealt with successfully 
and that any further action would give it unnecessary 
importance. 
AGUIRRE