C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001832

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CU SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: MFA OFFICIAL SEES NO CHANGE IN CUBA POLICY


Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen M. Fitzpatrick, reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Poloff met May 18 with Pablo Gomez de Olea,
the MFA's deputy director general for Mexico, Central America
and the Caribbean. Gomez assured us the Zapatero government
will maintain a tough stance on Cuba and will not
unilaterally backtrack on the EU's strict common position on
Cuba. In Gomez de Olea's opinion, although a minority of the
Socialist Party (PSOE) would like to see President Rodriguez
Zapatero soften Spain's position on Cuba and open some kind
of dialog with Fidel Castro, the majority of Socialists do
not believe progress is possible with Castro and back the
tough line Spain has taken consistent with the EU. End
summary.


2. (C) With Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Angel
Moratinos' recent meeting with his Mexican counterpart Derbez
as a backdrop, poloff met May 18 with Gomez de Olea to "take
the MFA's temperature" on the outlook for GOS relations with
Cuba under the Zapatero administration. Moratinos had
commented after his discussions with Derbez that Spain wanted
to take a "calm" approach to Cuba. Gomez de Olea emphasized
that in his opinion there will be no change in Spain's policy
toward Cuba under the Zapatero government. "The minister may
have used some unfortunate verbiage," he said, "but the fact
is, even if Zapatero wanted to soften Spain's tough stance it
would be very difficult to do it because the EU common
position on Cuba is very strict, and Zapatero is very much in
favor of following the EU position on this and other issues.


3. (C) Gomez de Olea acknowledged there are those in PSOE
who would like to see Zapatero renew some kind of dialog with
Castro (the far left-leaning Socialists) but the majority of
PSOE officials understand dialog with Castro has produced no
progress in the past and will not produce more in the future.
Although Zapatero is not likely to deliver the same degree
of vitriol to Castro in his public statements as Aznar did,
the Zapatero government will act consistently with the EU,
demanding the release of dissident prisoners and the
beginning of democratic changes on the island.


4. (C) Finally Gomez de Olea remarked that the substantial
economic interests Spanish companies have on the island will
not pressure the Zapatero government to moderate Spain's
position on Cuba. For some time, Castro himself has seen the
wisdom of separating the two, understanding that he will only
cause himself economic pain if he makes life difficult for
Spanish businesses.
ARGYROS