C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000113

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2014
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL KTIA PHSA EWWT
SUBJECT: SPAIN'S VIEWS ON U.S. NONPROLIFERATION AMENDMENTS
TO THE SUA CONVENTION

REF: STATE 4828

Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo Zuniga for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Poloff discussed policy issue papers and reftel
talking points concerning U.S. nonproliferation amendments to
the Convention against the Suppression of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA) with Marcos
Rodriguez Cantero, MFA Deputy Director General for
Disarmament Affairs, and Jose Maria Lavina, a member of the
MFA technical staff on disarmament and terrorism issues.
Spain supports the U.S. amendment to SUA regarding dual-use
offense and will likely support the amendment to SUA
regarding transfer of dual-use items to non-state and state
actors. Lavina said that the coordinating group on SUA
related issues had not discussed the implications of the
second U.S. policy paper regarding the transfer of dual-use
items to non-state and state actors, but that the group would
meet before the end of the month and have a decision before
meetings in Brussels beginning January 31. The coordinating
group is composed of members from six agencies--Justice,
Interior, Transportation, Treasury, Defense, and the MFA.
Lavina promised to raise concerns at the next coordinating
group meeting. Spain agrees with the U.S. interpretation of
UNSC 1540.


2. (C) Rodriguez Cantero and Lavina did not know who would
be representing Spain at the January 17, 2005, European law
of the sea meeting (COMAR) that will be chaired by the
Netherlands. Lavina said that a member of the Ministry of
Transportation will probably represent Spain at the meeting.
He said that he would call post when he found out who would
represent Spain.

// SOUNDING OUT USG VIEWS ON IAEA LEADERSHIP //


3. (C) Rodriguez Cantero was interested in the U.S. view of
Mohammed ElBaradei's intention to run for a third term as
head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Although the Spanish government supports ElBaradei, Rodriguez
Cantero said he personally would favor a change in
leadership, as ElBaradei has already served two terms. He
had heard that the U.S. was not supportive of ElBaradei, but
he wondered if the U.S. was going to take any concrete
actions against his bid for a third-term as IAEA head.
Poloff told Rodriguez Cantero that the U.S. had not taken any
formal action against ElBaradei's bid.
MANZANARES