LETTER TO SECRETARY FROM FM MORATINOS

UNCLAS MADRID 004009 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EUR/WE FOR ALLEGRONE AND HALL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SP SUBJECT: LETTER TO SECRETARY FROM FM MORATINOS ¶1. (SBU) During the November 16 visit to Madrid of EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried, Deputy Foreign Minister Bernardino Leon gave A/S Fried a letter to Secretary Rice from Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. The letter discusses the Spanish government,s positive view of the state of the bilateral relationship and invites the Secretary to visit Spain in the first quarter of 2006. Para SIPDIS 2 contains an informal translation of the letter. The original will be sent to the Department via pouch. ¶2. (SBU) INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF LETTER FROM FM MORATINOS TO THE SECRETARY: Begin text: Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Minister and Cooperation Ms. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State SIPDIS United States of America Madrid, November 15, 2005 Dear Condi: First I want to express my satisfaction over the positive development in relations between Spain and the United States of America in recent months. This is undoubtedly due to the efforts and attention you and your team at the Department of State have devoted to these relations. The Spanish Government has also made great efforts to promote relations between our two countries. Our working meeting on last April 15th in Washington was followed by visits by the Spanish Ministers of Interior, Justice, Defense, Education and Science, and Industry, Trade and Tourism, and meetings between senior officials of our two countries on regional issues in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, North Africa and Latin America. In the fight against terrorism and organized crime, along with signing agreements on mutual legal assistance, extradition and customs cooperation, we have also agreed to establish operational working groups between our two countries, respective services. Spain and the United States have also increased their cooperation in areas of crisis, such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and more recently in NATO,s operations to aid Pakistan. Last September, Spain took charge of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan in the framework of ISAF. The Spanish Government confirms its full commitment in the Atlantic Alliance,s effort to promote peace and well-being for the Afghan people. My Government agrees with the U.S. Government on the need to promote economic and political reforms in countries in the Middle East and North Africa. I am very pleased to have participated in the recent meeting of the Forum for the Future in Bahrain and that Spain is actively collaborating in the creation of the Foundation for the Future. I am also pleased that the United States Government has stated its intent to participate in the Alliance of Civilizations initiative that the Governments of Spain and Turkey are jointly sponsoring. I therefore feel that regular consultations between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Secretary of State are very important to continue promoting our relations and our collaboration. I am therefore pleased to invite you to make an official visit to Spain, if possible during the first quarter of 2006, whenever your schedule permits, in order to continue such consultations. Your presence in our country would undoubtedly send a clear message of the firm desire of the United States and Spain to cooperate in solidarity as allies and friends. Warm regards. Yours (illegible) (handwritten) Miguel Miguel Angel Moratinos End text. AGUIRRE