SPAIN: POSITIVE ON U.S. EFFORTS TO SUPPORT EU-3

UNCLAS MADRID 001061 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO IR SP SUBJECT: SPAIN: POSITIVE ON U.S. EFFORTS TO SUPPORT EU-3 DIPLOMACY ON IRAN REF: STATE 44486 Poloff delivered Reftel talking points and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's statement concerning Iran on March 17 to Enrique Mora Benavente, MFA Head of EU Policy Planning. The GOS sees U.S. recent actions on Iraq as a "very positive development." EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana referred to the positive developments during discussions with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on March 16 at the GAERC meeting. Mora Benavente said that EU pressure on Iran would now be more effective. The GOS looks forward to seeing good results in EU discussions with the Iranians. Mora Benavente added that he saw the U.S. dropping its objection to Iran's application for WTO membership as very important to the current negotiations. MANZANARES