US embassy cable - 05MADRID3691

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PK, SP, NATO 
SUBJECT: SPAIN PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR NATO RESPONSE FORCE 
MISSION TO PAKISTAN 
 
REF: STATE 194572 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Kathy Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). 
 
1. (C) Poloff discussed reftel points on October 21 with MOD 
Deputy Director for Defense Policy Admiral Enrique Perez 
Ramirez and Spain's Defense Counselor to NATO CAPT Gonzalo 
Rodriguez.  They said that Spain recognizes the urgency of 
the situation and is prepared to fully support whatever NATO 
Response Force (NRF) mission that NATO approves.  They said 
(and the Spanish press has reported) that because Spain is 
one of the main suppliers of troops to the NRF right now, 
Spain anticipates sending a headquarters group and an 
engineering unit, totaling approximately 300 soldiers, if 
NATO approves the mission.  They noted that the first draft 
of the OpPlan contained a list of needed units and mentioned 
the engineering unit specifically, but that the next draft 
did not specify troop requirements.  Spanish press reports 
that Defense Minister Bono will go to Spanish Parliament on 
October 25 to seek approval or acquiescence in the deployment 
of Spanish troops.  Parliament is expected to grant approval. 
 
2. (C) Because Spain expects to be a major supplier of NRF 
troops, it would like to see NATO allies take responsibility 
for other critical needs such as strategic airlift.  Ramirez 
and Rodriguez said that Spain's ambassador to NATO has 
already circulated a letter to NATO ambassadors explaining 
Spain's position and suggesting that this would be a good 
time to begin using a common funding model for NATO 
operations.  Nonetheless, they were clear that Spain would 
have the needed units ready to go as quickly as possible and 
would not hold this mission hostage to Spain's desire to move 
forward on common funding. 
 
3. (C) They noted Spain's concern that Pakistan has not yet 
accepted the NRF mission, nor is a SOFA in place, and that 
nothing can be done until these agreements are in place. 
They also noted that Spain has already sent rescue squads and 
planeloads of humanitarian supplies.  We will follow up with 
MFA. 
AGUIRRE