US embassy cable - 05MADRID3035

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 003035 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015 
TAGS: KPAL, PREL, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN'S VIEWS IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER 1-2 
FOREIGN  MINISTERS MEETING (GYMNICH) 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 153187 
     B. MADRID 2609 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Kathleen Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) Poloff discussed reftel talking points with Carlos 
Fernandez-Arias, MFA EU Policy Coordinator. He stressed that 
the Gymnich meeting is an informal gathering of Foreign 
Ministers in which the ministers are meant to speak freely, 
and therefore no talking points were being prepared for 
Minister Moratinos's participation. In terms of the agenda, 
Fernandez-Arias said the agenda points would be Enlargement 
(including Turkey and the Balkans), the Middle East (Gaza 
Disengagement), probably Iran, in view of recent developments 
there, perhaps Iraq, and one subject not mentioned in reftel: 
the UK's new proposal for an Arms Trade Treaty. He said there 
was no intent to discuss China or Venezuela. 
 
Enlargement 
----------- 
2. (C) Fernandez-Arias said the most important topic of 
conversation will be the one on EU enlargement, particularly 
to Turkey. Spain has always been an advocate of EU membership 
for Turkey, and it strongly supports the October 3 start date 
for negotiations. He said that although for political reasons 
there is some hesitation to Turkish membership on the part of 
France, Germany and Austria, in his discussions with other EU 
diplomats, he had the impression that all countries would in 
the end agree that negotiations should begin on time. The GOS 
believes that Turkey should be given a "European perspective" 
on the way to move forward, and regardless of the obstacles 
to be tackled in the future, the negotiations should begin on 
October 3. (Note: In contrast to Fernandez-Arias's remarks 
before the July GAERC (reftel B), his comments now put Spain 
strongly behind the commencement of negotiations with Turkey. 
Post suspects this is related to Turkey's co-sponsorship of 
GOS's Alliance of Civilizations initiative.) 
 
3. (C) Fernandez-Arias also said that Spain was interested in 
giving this "European perspective" to the countries of the 
Western Balkans, including Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, 
and Bosnia. He mentioned that the EU should of course closely 
examine the qualifications of these countries, including 
their cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal 
for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and counsel them on how to 
proceed. He also said that while some EU countries were 
pushing for certain Balkan countries to enter the EU before 
Turkey (such as Austria for Croatia), these questions should 
be tackled down the road. 
 
Middle East 
----------- 
4. (C) Fernandez-Arias said that Spain was also pleased with 
how the disengagement in Gaza was proceeding, and they were 
obviously behind the UK's declaration on behalf of the 
European Union supporting the pull-out. He suspected that 
there would be discussion at the Gymnich on re-engagement in 
the Road Map in the Middle East, putting the two sides on 
track to achieve the vision of two states living side by side 
in peace. He said that Spain had proposed four projects in 
support of the Palestinian Authority within the framework of 
Envoy Wolfensohn's proposal, and that the Spanish fully 
intend to follow through on their pledge of $40 million to 
the process, looking for ways to contribute to projects 
underway or new proposals. 
 
Iran 
---- 
5. (C) The GOS is very worried about developments in Iran, 
according to Fernandez-Arias, and the MFA expects Iran will 
be a topic of discussion in the Gymnich. He said that Spain 
hoped to get an update from the EU-3 at the meeting, and to 
discuss the various human rights and foreign policy 
declarations that Iran has made of late, including those 
having to do with its nuclear program. He said that strong 
action is warranted if Iran does not follow through with its 
commitments to the international community with regards to 
its nuclear program, but added that there are contradictory 
statements coming out of Iran right now, that Spain would 
like to clarify in the Newport meeting. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
6. (C) Fernandez-Arias was not certain that Iraq would be a 
topic of conversation at the Gymnich, saying that Spain plans 
to follow through on its financial commitments for 
reconstruction and other (i.e. election) support in the 
country. 
 
UK Arms Treaty Proposal 
----------------------- 
7. (C) Fernandez-Arias said the UK will also want to discuss 
Jack Straw's proposal for a treaty on arms trade.  The GOS is 
anxious to hear from Straw his thinking behind the proposal 
and further details. While Spain is not a major exporter of 
arms, they do export, following the EU code of conduct on 
arms sales. Fernandez-Arias stated that Spain in general 
thinks the treaty idea is a good one, it would like more 
details on what the UK is proposing. The GOS is skeptical 
about the concept, he said. Fernandez-Arias noted that in 
this type of agreement, all parties would have to agree on 
the terms, and while developed nations might be in agreement 
on whom to sell arms to, developing countries either 
producing or reselling arms may not get on board, making the 
treaty essentially ineffective. 
 
China and Venezuela 
------------------- 
8. (C) Fernandez-Arias said that China and Venezuela were not 
on the Gymnich agenda, and that he expected that China would 
not be on the agenda for EU meetings during the UK 
presidency. 
AGUIRRE