SPAIN: U.S. PROPOSALS TO ENABLE CIVIL NUCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003755

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS TO ISN AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2015
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP IN SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: U.S. PROPOSALS TO ENABLE CIVIL NUCLEAR
COOPERATION WITH INDIA BY THE NSG

REF: A. SECSTATE 190856

B. MADRID 3351 AND PREVIOUS

C. LISBON 1331

Classified By: ESTHOFF KEN FORDER PER 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) ESTHOFF passed Ref A points October 18 to MFA
Disarmament Affairs Deputy Director General Marcos Rodriguez
Cantero, urging Spain to support an approach that would
permit Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries to engage in
civil nuclear cooperation with India and asking for Spanish
suggestions regarding how this could be achieved without
eroding the NSG's core principles. Rodriguez Cantero
reiterated Spanish concerns (Ref B) about the potential
negative impact of our agreement with India on the larger NPT
framework and regional stability in South Asia.


2. (C) However, Rodriguez Cantero also reiterated that
Spain agrees on the need to reach out and better harness
India into the global nonproliferation regime. Thus, the
MFA's Legal Advisor is working with Rodriguez Cantero's
office to develop new approaches that might help prevent
greater cooperation with India from undermining NSG
guidelines. He said he would contact ESTHOFF should MFA come
up with creative new ideas. As an aside, Rodriguez Cantero
confirmed Ref C report that Spain and Portugal had argued for
flexibility and understanding of the U.S. initiative during
internal EU discussions. He added that Italy and Germany
voiced the greatest criticism of the U.S. initiative during
these discussions.
MANZANARES