SPAIN: RESPONSE TO SOMALIA IGAD DEPLOYMENT PLAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001254 SIPDIS FOR EUR/WE; ALSO FOR IGAD COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015 TAGS: PREL SO SP SUBJECT: SPAIN: RESPONSE TO SOMALIA IGAD DEPLOYMENT PLAN REF: A. STATE 47850 ¶B. MADRID 1106 Classified By: Ricardo Zuniga, Political Officer for Reasons 1.4 (B) & (D) (C) In a follow up to ref A demarche on the IGAD plan to deploy troops in Somalia, Spanish MFA chief of staff for sub-Saharan African Affairs Nuria Reigosa Gonzalez responded March 29 that Spain agrees that the plan is ambitious, costly, and may not help stabilize Somalia. Reigosa said Spain would not seek bilateral discussions on this issue with member countries of the African Union or the IGAD but would further develop its position through its participation in the European Union working group on Africa in the coming weeks. MANZANARES