SPAIN: RESPONSE TO NPT PREPCOM III DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001099

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NP/MNA (B. WARD),GENEVA FOR CD DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2014
TAGS: KNNP SP NPT IAEA
SUBJECT: SPAIN: RESPONSE TO NPT PREPCOM III DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 63169

Classified By: KATHLEEN FITZPATRICK, POLITICAL COUNSELOR.
REASON: 1.4 (B) & (D).


1. (C) We presented reftel points to Marcos Rodriguez
Cantero in the office of International Disarmament Affairs at
the MFA on March 30. Rodriguez, who will be Spain's delegate
to the PrepCom, said Spain would support U.S. proposals to
strengthen the IAEA Board of Governors and the Proliferation
Security Initiative to ensure that nations comply with
international safeguard obligations on non-proliferation. He
also agreed that linking procedural issues to agreement on
substantive issues at the PrepCom is a non-starter. Gaining
consensus on non-proliferation issues should be the top
priority, he said.


2. (SBU) Rodriguez pointed out that Spain ratified the IAEA
Additional Protocol in 1999. As current chair of the Board
of Governors, Spain expects the Protocol to come into force
before May 1, so that the countries that join the EU on May 2
will be bound by it.


3. (C) Rodriguez expressed concern about restricting exports
of sensitive nuclear fuel-cycle technology. He cautioned
that such restriction could create a more lucrative market
for nuclear fuel-cycle technology, which could either
influence more countries to develop nuclear technology or
give countries of concern, like the Iran and the DPRK, a
stronger economic impetus to continue to develop and share
sensitive technology. Rodriguez believes export restrictions
could also create an international export 'cartel' that would
exclude smaller producers of nuclear fuel-cycle technology in
countries like Brazil and Mexico. Rodriguez does not foresee
export restrictions becoming an issue at the PrepCom.
However, he expects the issue will be raised at next meeting
of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and may pick up momentum
leading up to the 2005 NPT Review Conference.
ARGYROS