SPAIN'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON USG POSITION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001456 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2015 TAGS: PREL AG MO WI SP SUBJECT: SPAIN'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON USG POSITION ON PERSONAL ENVOY FOR WESTERN SAHARA REF: A. SECSTATE 66720 B. MADRID 1324 C. MADRID 1353 Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo Zuniga; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) On April 13, Poloff delivered demarche as per instructions in reftel A to MFA Maghreb office director Carlos Fernandez Arias. Arias said that he was aware that the Department had shared a similar message with the Spanish Embassy in an April 12th meeting. He appreciated the USG's detailed response to the Spanish suggestion and was happy to note that the door was not completely shut on the possibility of selecting an American as an envoy in the future if conditions improved. He said Spain agreed with the need to focus on improving Algerian-Moroccan bilateral relations. ¶2. (C) Separately, Arias said a Polisario delegation had been in Madrid to meet with FM Moratinos on Monday. He described the Polisario visitors as "quite nervous" about the possibility of being left out of any future agreement, particularly now that relations between Rabat and Algiers seemed to be improving. FM Moratinos emphasized to them that he would keep his doors open to the Polisario and would not seek to diminish their status just because Spain was making efforts to improve relations with Morocco. Arias added that the tone of Polisario's rhetoric was very measured, with no belligerent statements about resuming armed conflict. MANZANARES