SPAIN FAVORS NICARAGUA MANPADS DESTRUCTION

S E C R E T MADRID 002296 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE; ALSO FOR PM/WRA (M.ADAMS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2015 TAGS: MARR PARM PREL PTER SP SUBJECT: SPAIN FAVORS NICARAGUA MANPADS DESTRUCTION REF: STATE 100646 Classified By: Ricardo Zuniga, Political Officer. Reasons 1.4 (B) & (D) (S) Poloff met with the Spanish Foreign Ministry's chief of staff to the deputy director of International Disarmament Affairs, Luis Gomez, June 14 to discuss Spain's support for the USG proposal urging the Government of Nicaragua to destroy its existing MANPADS stockpile (reftel). Gomez agreed the GoN should fulfill its pledge to destroy its remaining MANPADS. However, the MFA would have to consult with its embassy in Managua before being able to comment on what action Spain could take to approach the GoN on this issue, Gomez stated. He added that this issue might also be informally raised at a June 27-30 conference that Spain is co-hosting with Argentina in Managua to discuss non-proliferation activities under UNSC 1540, the PSI, and the CSI in Latin America. MANZANARES