Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04MADRID2369
2004-06-23 10:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:  

BLOOMFIELD DELEGATION UPDATES SPANISH ON GLOBAL

Tags:  MARR PREL PGOV SP 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002369 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PM, EUR/WE AND EUR/RPM
OSD FOR DASD HOEHN
EUCOM FOR ODC-SPAIN AND RADM GOODWIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2014
TAGS: MARR PREL PGOV SP
SUBJECT: BLOOMFIELD DELEGATION UPDATES SPANISH ON GLOBAL
DEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW PLANS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission J. Robert Manzanares,
reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002369

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PM, EUR/WE AND EUR/RPM
OSD FOR DASD HOEHN
EUCOM FOR ODC-SPAIN AND RADM GOODWIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2014
TAGS: MARR PREL PGOV SP
SUBJECT: BLOOMFIELD DELEGATION UPDATES SPANISH ON GLOBAL
DEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW PLANS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission J. Robert Manzanares,
reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Assistant Secretary of State for
Political-Military Affairs Lincoln Bloomfield and Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy Andrew Hoehn
briefed GOS officials June 15 on the latest USG thinking on
the global defense posture review (GDPR) and its possible
impact on Spain. Bloomfield and Hoehn said the USG was not
likely to consolidate NAVEUR and the Sixth Fleet at Rota
Naval Air Station. Due to cost and efficiency
considerations, the U.S. was considering alternatives to
Spain for the consolidation. Hoehn added that at this time
the USG was not contemplating significant reductions in
personnel at either Rota or Moron Air Base as a result of
GDPR. The Spanish appreciated the briefing and emphasized
the base relationship was very important to Spain. The GOS
sought more detailed information on GDPR and Bloomfield said
a member of the U.S. delegation could return to brief further
once the delegation had apprised other affected countries of
the latest U.S. plans. End summary.


2. (C) The Bloomfield delegation met at the Foreign Ministry
in a single meeting with the Foreign Ministry's political
director, Rafael Dezcallar, the Defense Ministry's director
general for policy, Gen. Felix Sanz, and the Presidency's
Maria Jesus Alonso (no. 2 to NSA Casajuana). Bloomfield
briefed the Spanish on general GDPR concepts and explained
that the foundation for the global review was the political
dimension. He added he was following up on Under Secretary
of Defense for Policy Doug Feith's visit to Spain in December

2003. Recalling that Feith had suggested the U.S. might
consolidate NAVEUR and the Sixth Fleet at Rota, Hoehn said
the U.S. appreciated Spain's positive response to the idea
but said cost and efficiency reasons were now causing the
U.S. to examine alternatives to Rota for NAVEUR and the Sixth
Fleet. Hoehn declined to specify where NAVEUR and the Sixth
Fleet might lodge, until the relevant government could be

briefed. (Later in the discussion, General Sanz noted press
reports that the Sixth Fleet and NAVEUR would move to
Naples.)


3. (C) Hoehn emphasized Rota and Moron remain important,
enduring and sustainable elements of the U.S.-Spain relations
and NATO. He said that while local or regional commanders
had the authority to make changes to maximize efficiency,
Hoehn assured the Spanish the U.S. has no current plans to
make significant changes to its presence at either base as a
result of the posture review. Hoehn said also the U.S. was
still considering various locations at which to consolidate
Special Operations Forces; we would provide the Spanish
additional details on that score when they were available.


4. (C) Dezcallar replied that Spain understood the cost and
efficiency realities and would likely make the same decision
were it in the U.S.'s shoes. He agreed the political
dimension should be the foundation for GDPR discussions with
allies and assured the delegation the U.S. "has a strong
foundation in Spain," and that Spain wished to strengthen the
relationship and take it as far as "our common interests take
us." Spain wants to continue cooperating with the U.S. at
the highest levels, said Dezcallar.


5. (C) Sanz said the "51-year (military) relationship"
between Spain and the U.S. has been very fruitful for both
countries, and that the countries' relationship at the bases
was very important for Spain. Sanz requested more details
both on the parts of GDPR that affect Spain and the elements
that affect other countries. Spain is of course concerned
about the review's impact on Rota and Moron, and in
particular the effect on "social issues" and Spanish jobs.


6. (C) Bloomfield explained that U.S. representatives were
visiting a number of countries to discuss GDPR ramifications
and preferred not to get into details before meeting with
other governments. After the USG had held those discussions,
however, the U.S. would be happy to send a member of the
Bloomfield delegation -- probably a EUCOM rep -- back to
Spain to go into greater detail on GDPR's impact on Spain.
However, the U.S. was interested in the GOS's views on our
proposals now, or as soon as possible.


7. (C) Comment: The atmosphere at this meeting was very
positive, with the Spanish emphasizing the importance of
positive relations with the U.S. and saying they appreciated
being consulted on the posture review. Conspicuously absent
from the GOS reaction to the briefing was the military's
oft-repeated position that the base relationship is too
lopsided in the U.S.'s favor. Instead, Spanish officials
expressed concern about the possible negative impact GDPR
could have on Spanish jobs and infrastructure projects at the
bases. As is inevitable of late here in Madrid, where any
and every issue related to foreign policy reaches the press,
Spain, well-versed media reported on the visit, though there
were no media present at the meeting and no press event
afterward. Press on the visit has been interesting: One
newspaper, Spain,s conservative ABC, gave an accurate
account of the discussion, including the idea that Sixth
Fleet and NAVEUR might not go to Rota. Spain,s leftist,
pro-Socialist El Pais reported just the opposite -- increases
in the offing for Rota. When queried by the press about the
Bloomfield delegation's visit to Madrid, First Vice President
de la Vega said the GOS "does not have any knowledge of any
extraordinary request" from the U.S. relating to Rota or
Moron.


ARGYROS