SPAIN ON TRANSNISTRIA'S PROPOSED INDEPENDENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001909 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2016 TAGS: OSCE PREL PBTS MD RS SP SUBJECT: SPAIN ON TRANSNISTRIA'S PROPOSED INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM REF: STATE 115371 Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kathy Fitzpatrick for rea sons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to GOS European Correspondent Carlos Fernandez Arias on July 18 and Spanish Sub-Director General for Eastern Europe Jose Maria Valdemoro Gimenez on July 27. ¶2. (C) Fernandez Arias agreed with the U.S. position that the referendum is poorly worded and a bad idea in general; he further agreed that Russia is the key player in this discussion. He said that the Transnistrian Supreme Soviet is living in the past, and he noted that it remains unclear whether Russia is angling for an independent Transnistria that is a thorn in the side of both Ukraine and Moldova or for a Russian outpost in eastern Europe. Fernandez Arias indicated that there is a desire in the EU to push Russia on this question, but that this remains difficult due to Russian wariness of the EU. For the official Spanish position, however, Fernandez Arias referred Poloff to Valdemoro. ¶3. (C) Valdemoro indicated that Spain's position on the referendum is the same as the European Union and the OSCE. Spain does not recognize the referendum and will not send observers to the referendum. Valdemoro said the GOS has no current plans to approach Russia on the subject, but he said it was on Spain's OSCE agenda. Valdemoro said Transnistria would be one of Spain's priorities as OSCE chair in 2007. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/ ****************************************** AGUIRRE