SPAIN SUPPORTS US POSITIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS MADRID 004294 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS US POSITIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS REF: SECSTATE 236869 Poloff discussed reftel talking points with the MFA's Director General for Human Rights, Jose Antonio de Ory Peral. Spain was directly involved in EU efforts on the Belarus, Turkmenistan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe human rights resolutions. All 25 EU member states are behind EU positions and must vote for the common EU positions on the aforementioned resolutions. Spain, as well as the other EU members, will co-sponsor the Canadian resolution on human rights problems in Iran. De Ory was unaware of the circulation of a Belarusian retaliatory resolution against the U.S., but he said that Spain would make clear to the Belarusians that they will vote against an anti-US resolution; he added that it would be inconceivable for Spain to do otherwise, considering their strong support of the resolution condemning Belarus. ARGYROS