SPAIN: DELIVERABLES FOR THE US-EU INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS MADRID 002133

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EIND ECON SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: DELIVERABLES FOR THE US-EU INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON IRAQ

REF: SECSTATE 103222


1. Summary: Charge delivered reftel talking points to MFA
Political Director Rafael Dezcallar. Dezcallar said Foreign
Minister Moratinos would attend the conference and that this
meeting would be high profile for Spain. Dezcallar said the
Spanish government cannot guarantee that its USD 20 million
donation to the UNDP for Iraq elections will be disbursed
before the US-EU Iraq conference, but stressed Spain remains
committed to meeting its Madrid Conference pledge. End
Summary.


2. Dezcallar told Charge the MFA cannot guarantee that
Spain's USD 20 million dollar donation to the UNDP fund for
Iraqi elections will be deposited by the June 22 Conference,
as involved agencies continue to work out modalities to
deposit the funds. The MFA, the Spanish Agency for
International Development and the Ministry of Commerce are
working to plan the spending of Spain's remaining USD 140
million pledge from the Madrid Donor's Conference. Dezcallar
stressed that Spain is not backtracking, and that Spain
remains committed to meeting its Madrid pledge. However he
said an additional pledge of aid for Iraq is not likely to be
forthcoming, but hoped the U.S. would view Spain's already
substantial pledge as significant. He said Spain had
disbursed a fair amount already (Note: Spain has disbursed
USD 117 million to date.),and had additionally contributed
ten percent of the EU pledge.

MANZANARES