SPAIN'S VIEWS ON U.S. NONPROLIFERATION AMENDMENTS

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