SPAIN: EU TO BACK OAS POSITION ON VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000618

SIPDIS

EUR/WE FOR J. ZIMMERMAN AND M. JOSLIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM VE SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: EU TO BACK OAS POSITION ON VENEZUELA

REF: STATE 36977

Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen M. Fitzpatrick,
reasons 1.4(B) and (D).

(C) Embassy made reftel points February 23 to Ernesto de
Zulueta, the MFA's Deputy Director General for Andean
Community Countries. Zulueta said Spain was fully in
agreement with all points in demarche but believed a
Government of Spain statement on the issue would only inflame
GOV sentiments against the OAS and Carter Center positions.
Instead, Spain was pushing for a common EU position which
Zulueta believed the Irish EU Presidency would issue in a
declaration February 23. Zulueta read us a draft of the EU
declaration -- the EU declaration tracked completely in
substance with reftel points. Zulueta promised to inform us
if it appeared the declaration would be changed in any
significant way before issuance.

MANZANARES