US embassy cable - 05MADRID3649

UNCLAS MADRID 003649 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR AND NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN AND BMENA:  PINNING DOWN FOUNDATION 
CONTRIBUTION 
 
REF: STATE 190583 
 
(SBU)  Following up on several previous conversations on this 
subjejct, PolCouns urged MFA DG for Middle East Iranzo to 
convey to us by October 24 Spain's planned contribution to 
BMENA's Foundation for the Future, as follow up to FM 
Moratinos' pledge to contribute and to meetings in Madrid 
with NEA MEPI and BMENA officials.  Iranzo said that by the 
Bahrain conference Moratinos would be able to announce the 
figure but the government could not give us a figure now as 
it was looking at where the money would come from within the 
Spanish budget.  Polcouns asked whether there were a problem 
in the budgetary process and whether we could help in any way 
to to pin down the amount.  Iranzo said there were no 
specific problems, but Spain had to work out its options. 
PolCouns pressed whether Spain was still commited to a $1 
million contribution. Iranzo replied that this was the 
target, but noted that Spain had contributed to other BMENA 
projects, including through the OECD and might include these 
amounts as it signified its contribution.  PolCouns stressed 
our desire for a specific monetary commitment from Spain by 
October 24, as part of the process of planning for the 
November conference.  We will continue to follow up on this 
issue to pin down Spain's contribution before the November 
conference. 
AGUIRRE