SPANISH RESPONSE TO AFRICAN UNION AIRLIFT DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002186 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RPM DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISP (P. GRAFF) E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 TAGS: PREL MARR SP SU NATO SUBJECT: SPANISH RESPONSE TO AFRICAN UNION AIRLIFT DEMARCHE REF: STATE 103310 Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo F. Zuniga reasons 1.4(b) and ( d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Spain has opted to go the European Union route in offering assistance to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Spain has donated two small tactical transport planes to the AU as part of the EU effort, and has lent along with the planes Spanish pilots and maintenance workers who will fly and maintain the planes until the AU is able to do those things itself. Spain is also sending five military observers. Spain supports NATO's involvement with AMIS and has no objections if other countries want to participate via NATO. The GOS believes both NATO and the EU have valuable experience to offer and does not want AMIS to get bogged down due to "bickering" over whether assistance should be offered through the EU or through NATO. End summary. ¶2. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points June 7 to Manuel Acerete, the MFA's Deputy Director General for International Security. Acerete said that while Spain understood the reasoning behind the U.S. position, Spain had decided to offer assistance to the AU via the EU, rather than NATO. According to Acerete, until just before the May 26 conference in Addis Ababa, Spain did not plan on making any contributions to the effort because it felt it was already overstretched with its operations in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Haiti. But "under great pressure from the EU," Spain decided to donate the two transport planes, lend necessary personnel to operate them, and provide five military observers. ¶3. (C) Acerete pointed out that the EU has been involved with AMIS since 2004. Spain believes an EU role in AMIS is important because the EU has much to offer the AU, and being seen by the Africans lending assistance aids the political relationship between the EU and African countries. ¶4. (C) Finally, Acerete said the GOS hopes both the EU and NATO will provide useful assistance to AMIS without getting bogged down "bickering" between them about who can do the job better. Both have capabilities to offer the AU, the organizations can complement each other, and the goal should be providing meaningful help to the AU, Acerete emphasized. MANZANARES