US embassy cable - 05MADRID3755

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003755 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO ISN AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, KNNP, IN, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN:  U.S. PROPOSALS TO ENABLE CIVIL NUCLEAR 
COOPERATION WITH INDIA BY THE NSG 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 190856 
     B. MADRID 3351 AND PREVIOUS 
     C. LISBON 1331 
 
Classified By: ESTHOFF KEN FORDER PER 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1.  (C)  ESTHOFF passed Ref A points October 18 to MFA 
Disarmament Affairs Deputy Director General Marcos Rodriguez 
Cantero, urging Spain to support an approach that would 
permit Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries to engage in 
civil nuclear cooperation with India and asking for Spanish 
suggestions regarding how this could be achieved without 
eroding the NSG's core principles.  Rodriguez Cantero 
reiterated Spanish concerns (Ref B) about the potential 
negative impact of our agreement with India on the larger NPT 
framework and regional stability in South Asia. 
 
2.  (C)  However, Rodriguez Cantero also reiterated that 
Spain agrees on the need to reach out and better harness 
India into the global nonproliferation regime.  Thus, the 
MFA's Legal Advisor is working with Rodriguez Cantero's 
office to develop new approaches that might help prevent 
greater cooperation with India from undermining NSG 
guidelines.  He said he would contact ESTHOFF should MFA come 
up with creative new ideas.  As an aside, Rodriguez Cantero 
confirmed Ref C report that Spain and Portugal had argued for 
flexibility and understanding of the U.S. initiative during 
internal EU discussions.  He added that Italy and Germany 
voiced the greatest criticism of the U.S. initiative during 
these discussions. 
MANZANARES