US embassy cable - 05MADRID3733

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 003733 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR FOR FRIED/VOLKER; EUR/WE AND NEA PDAS CHENEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FM MORATINOS 
 
Classified By: Charge J. Robert Manzanares for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos told 
Ambassador Aguirre October 20 that Spain would contribute $1 
million in "new money" (not in-kind or including previous 
related contributions) to the Foundation for the Future, part 
of the G-8's Broader Middle East/North Africa Strategy.  He 
regretted that the Secretary would not be able to attend the 
EU's Barcelona Process 10th anniversary meeting in November. 
Briefing the Ambassador on the October 18-19 visit to Madrid 
of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Moratinos 
said Abbas was the best Palestian interlocutor we have at the 
moment.  Moratinos also noted that during his upcoming New 
York visit (week of Oct. 24), he would be meeting meeting 
with USUN Ambassador Bolton to discuss Western Sahara and 
Maghreb issues. END SUMMARY 
 
Barcelona Process Meeting 
 
2. (C) The Spanish government understands that the Secretary 
will not come to the EU's 10th anniversary Barcelona Process 
meeting, but Moratinos said that when he and the Secretary 
spoke on this issue recently, the Secretary mentioned the 
possibility of someone else at a lower level attending. 
Moratinos explained that Spain had proposed extending an 
invitation as "guests" or "observers" to the US, Balkans, 
Russia and perhaps Albania but that this had to be approved 
by the UK as the chair of the EU.  If that was approved, the 
US would receive an invitation to attend, at minimum, the 
Foreign Minister's portion of the conference. When asked at 
what level, Moratinos was unclear but it indicated he wanted 
it to be higher than Ambassador. 
 
3. (C) Regarding the Secretary,s not being available, he 
said it was unfortunate but understood the significance of 
the Thanksgiving holiday.  He noted the importance of 
continuous exchanges between cabinet level officials and was 
hopeful we could work a visit by the Secretary to Madrid 
early next year.  Ambassador Aguirre said he would look into 
it.  The Ambassador agreed it was important to maintain a 
good rhythm of high level visitors and was working on getting 
the following to Spain:  Senator Mel Martinez as part of the 
US/Spain council, Commerce Secretary Gutierrez, Attorney 
General Gonzales, and DHS Secretary Chertoff.  He also noted 
the upcoming visit of Cuba Transition Coordinator Caleb 
McCarry and the possible visit of Dina Powell. 
 
The Perennial Question 
 
4. (C) Moratinos said Vice President Maria Teresa Fernandez 
De La Vega would like to visit the US but understood the 
sensitivities involved, since it could be perceived as trying 
to arrange a visit between Zapatero and President Bush (this 
tracks with Ambassador's discussion with her in reftel). 
Moratinos said "we need to work on getting the two (Zapatero 
and the President) together" soon, noting that this push was 
coming from the MFA, not Zapatero nor his office.  Ambassador 
Aguirre responded that he did not see this as something that 
could be accomplished soon, for a number reasons.  The 
Ambassador noted that there were still bruised feelings in 
some parts of the USG as a result of the Iraq pullout and 
that easing these concerns would take time.  The Ambassador 
then suggested to Moratinos that Zapatero needed to do 
something dramatic to help turn opinion around.  For example, 
said the Ambassador, he could announce the cancellation of 
the arms sales to Venezuela.  In a similar vein, the 
Ambassador expressed appreciation for the MFA statement on 
the Iraq constitution referendum and for the beginning of 
de-mining training for Iraqi security forces (slated to begin 
in early November). The Ambassador suggested that the Spanish 
government make a special media/public relations effort at 
the start of the training, perhaps with the Iraqi Ambassador 
to Spain, to underscore Spain's participation in Iraq 
democratization and security-building. 
 
BMENA 
 
5. (C) Ambassador Aguirre urged Moratinos to declare in 
advance of the Bahrain conference the amount of Spain's 
pledge to the BMENA Foundation for the Future. Moratinos said 
Spain understood the need for USD 1 million, and that it had 
to be pledged prior to the Bahrain meeting. He said Spain's 
pledge would be USD 1 million and this would be new money, 
not incorporating Spain's previous contributions to OECD 
BMENA efforts. The Ambassador thanked Moratinos and told him 
that this would be welcome news in Washington. Moratinos 
raised Zapatero's Alliance of Civilizations project. 
Moratinos said the Alliance would be discussed at Barcelona 
and asked if we had made a final decision on whether we would 
be contributing to the effort. Moratinos mentioned U/S 
Dobriansky,s visit and her indication that the US would 
participate.  Ambassador Aguirre told him he thought we were 
still on track to participate and undertook to follow up. 
 
Meeting with Palestinian Authority President Abbas 
 
6. (C) Moratinos briefed the Ambassador on the recent visit 
to Madrid of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. 
He said Abbas was the best Palestinian interlocutor possible 
at the moment. Abbas, he said, is determined to follow a 
peaceful strategy of negotiation with Sharon.  Moratinos 
described Abbas as a patient man who has a strategy to 
dismantle Hamas. Abbas told Moratinos that Hamas is losing 
ground and the polls reflect this.  Hamas has lost 
credibility in Gaza, especially in their latest effort to 
blame Israel for the last bombing there;  Abbas said no one 
believes this.  According to Moratinos, Abbas told the 
Spanish his strategy is to work on disarming Hamas but not to 
press too hard between now and the elections. Moratinos said 
Abbas promised to disarm Hamas once the elections are over if 
he wins. Abbas said that in order for his strategy to work he 
need three things: 1) A minimum level of cooperation from 
Israel that will allow the Palestinians to arm themselves to 
meet current security needs. And for President Bush to 
support this. He used an example of trying to get bullet 
proof vests for the Palestinian police and the resistance 
they are getting from the Israel. (Abbas said the Palestinian 
Authority could control the distribution of the vests and 
would keep an inventory of who is getting them);  2) A signal 
from President Bush to Sharon not to interfere in the 
Palestinian elections. Abbas added that it was unhelpful for 
Sharon to say that Hamas cannot participate in the elections; 
such commentary only builds support for Hamas.  3) Whatever 
happens between Syria and the US should not have a negative 
impact on Palestinians. Abbas also said that it would be 
helpful to have pressure on Israel to release Palestinian 
prisoners. He said he was now negotiating with Israel on this 
issue and a release before the elections would help him. 
 
7. (C) Further, Mortatinos said Abbas asked that US policy on 
settlements remain the same, and a reaffirmation of the 
policy would be helpful. Abbas noted the Palestinians working 
to get Nativity Church (Bethlehem) exiles back home. 
Moratinos noted that Spain was interested in this issue being 
resolved as they took in some of these exiles and they would 
like to send them back. Abbas also asked that Israel ease up 
on the checkpoints and allow transit to Jordan. 
 
8. (C) Abbas also told the Spanish he would like to see 
Sharon invited to the Barcelona meeting as it would give him 
an opportunity to meet with him. Moratinos said Sharon had 
been invited. Abbas said that he believes Sharon is a 
reliable partner and a good interlocutor. Finally, Abbas said 
his is a strategy of non-violence and negotiation, which is 
the only path that will produce results. But, he said, the 
annihilation of Hamas (which Abbas said is controlled by 
Iran) is not possible in the short term. 
 
New York Trip 
 
9. (C) Moratinos said that during his visit to New York the 
week of October 24 (to attend a conference organized by 
Spanish Judge Garzon, who is in New York for a year-long 
program), he would be meeting with Ambassador Bolton to 
discuss the Maghreb and Western Sahara. (Comment:  The 
Maghreb, particularly Morocco, is a key issue for Spain, 
given the large number of Moroccan immigrants in Spain, the 
Moroccan-immigrant origins of the March 11, 2004 terrorist 
attacks in Madrid and the fragility of the border between 
Morocco and Spain represented by a fence separating the 
Spanish North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and 
Morocco.  In addition, resolution of the Western Sahara issue 
is a key focus of Spain's foreign policy given Spain's 
historic ties to the former colony, and the Spanish continue 
to seek greater US involvement in the issue.) 
MANZANARES