SPANISH OFFICIALS CANNOT ATTEND MEETING IN THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 004501

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2014
TAGS: PARM PREL KTIA SP CWC
SUBJECT: SPANISH OFFICIALS CANNOT ATTEND MEETING IN THE
HAGUE ON CWC HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENTS

REF: MADRID 4373

Classified By: KATHLEEN M. FITZPATRICK, POLITICAL COUNSELOR.
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary: Spanish officials have indicated that they
will now be unable to attend discussion on the host country
agreement (HCA) on the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) as
previously promised because it conflicts with other arms
control meetings that they are scheduled to attend during the
November 29-December 3 Conference on State Parties (CSP) in
The Hague. According to an official in Office of Disarmament
Affairs at the Spanish MFA, the GOS would not be able to
discuss amendments to the CWC with USG officials until
mid-December. End Summary.


2. (C) Poloff received a call on November 24 from Luis
Gomez, chief of staff in the Spanish MFA's office of
International Disarmament Affairs, who explained that he and
the office's deputy director Marcos Rodriguez would be
participating in a conference on the Ottawa Landmines
Convention in Nairobi instead of The Hague CSP conference.
Ministry of Defense official Jose Quedevo Ruiz was scheduled
to attend a conference on the PSI in Helsinki, and the
National Authority for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
technical advisor Nieves Gomez also had scheduling conflicts
that prevented her from attending the Hague meeting. He
added that officials from Spain's mission to The Hague could
not pursue discussions with USG officials on Spain's HCA
without GOS officials from Madrid.


3. (C) Gomez assured Poloff that the MFA continues to
consider discussions on the Chemical Weapons Convention a
priority. He explained that the scheduling conflicts and the
commitments to other arms control meetings had caused the
Spanish delegation members to reverse their decision to
attend discussions on Spain's host country agreement at The
Hague conference. Gomez offered no additional details on
whether the MFA plans to amend the most recent version of the
CWC and said further discussions with USG officials would
have to be delayed until mid-December.
MANZANARES