US embassy cable - 05MADRID3631

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR A/S FRIED AND EUR/WE; NSC FOR HADLEY/ANSLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SP, American - Spanish Relations 
SUBJECT: SPAIN:  AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH SPANISH VICE 
PRESIDENT 
 
Confidential ) entire text. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
1.    Ambassador Aguirre paid a previously scheduled courtesy 
call October 17 on Spanish First Vice President Maria Teresa 
Fernandez de la Vega, who, among her many duties, coordinated 
arrangements for the Ibero-American Summit which Spain hosted 
in Salamanca October 14-17.   In a warm, cordial meeting, 
Fernandez de la Vega praised the Ambassador for having 
already made many friends in the Spanish government.  She 
noted excellent US-Spain cooperation on counter-terrorism, 
security and regional and bilateral issues such as the Middle 
East and Latin America.  Discussion inevitably turned to the 
weekend,s events related to the Summit, during which the 
Ambassador worked with FM Moratinos to ameliorate language on 
Cuba, including regarding the Posada Carriles case (septel to 
follow).  She also noted Spanish press coverage of US 
concerns.  De la Vega claimed to the Ambassador that through 
the entire year of coordinating the various phases of the 
summit, Cuban issues did not take more than "five minutes" of 
discussion, as the focus was on other pressing issues such as 
immigration and natural disasters.  However, in the final 
phase, she said, unnamed "others" raised difficult issues and 
Spain as host was faced with having to work through these 
issues. 
 
2.   The VP offered herself as an interlocutor with the 
government and said she wanted to work with the Ambassador on 
such issues before they got to the press. The Ambassador 
thanked de la Vega for Spain,s role as host and its efforts, 
through the Foreign Minister, to ameliorate some of the more 
contentious language in the summit declarations. Ambassador 
noted he understood Spain's role as a force of moderation 
throughout the Ibero-American Summit and the difficulties 
that posed to Spain as the summit's host country. Furthermore 
the Ambassador noted to the VP he would convey to Washington 
Spain's helpful role.  De la Vega noted the need for loyalty 
amongst allies.  The Ambassador said he understood but that 
his loyalty was toward ensuring US interests were advanced. 
He said he welcomed the opportunity to work with the Vice 
President.  Fernandez de la Vega that for her part, she was 
prepared to move forward with the US on Latin America and 
other issues. 
 
3.    De la Vega told the Ambassador she would like to visit 
the US sometime in the future.  She understood the 
sensitivities, including whether she would go in order to 
prepare a meeting between President Bush and President 
Zapatero.  The Ambassador replied that Fernandez de la Vega 
might find more useful a visit focused on immigration issues, 
particularly after the crisis in Spain and Morocco over 
migrants seeking to enter Spain by jumping the security fence 
between Morocco and the Spanish North African enclaves of 
Ceuta and Melilla.  Both agreed there was time to think about 
any such visit.  De la Vega said she would like to explore 
immigration issues with the Ambassador and offered to arrange 
a follow-up encounter with him on this subject. 
 
4.    Note:  Fernandez de la Vega oversees the Spanish 
Council of Ministers and relations with the Spanish 
Parliament, as well as Spanish central government relations 
with regions such as Catalonia and the Basque area.  Though 
she is not directly involved in foreign policy issues, her 
role often touches on key issues of concern for the US.  This 
was the Ambassador,s first meeting with her; as Charge, DCM 
had met with her in February, 2005.  We are sending one of 
her advisors on an IV program to the US. 
AGUIRRE