SPAIN ON IMSO DIRECTOR ELECTION

UNCLAS MADRID 002162 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE, IO/T (LAURENCE TOBEY) AND EB/CIP/TS (DOUGLAS MAY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ECPS EWWT KHLS INMARSAT IMO EU SP SUBJECT: SPAIN ON IMSO DIRECTOR ELECTION REF: SECSTATE 140757 ¶1. This is an action request for IO/T and EB/CIP/TS - see para 4. ¶2. ESTHOFF passed reftel diplomatic note and candidacy materials August 30 to MFA Director of Air, Maritime and Land Cooperation Juan Luis Munoz de Laborde, urging Spain to support the U.S. candidate for the Directorship of the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) in the event that the Spanish candidate was eliminated from the competition. De Laborde said that he would pass our request to the MFA's international candidacies office, which was awaiting the arrival of a new director. That said, he confirmed that he was the subject matter expert that would guide the candidacy office's formal response and he stated that our request "was reasonable." ¶3. Post will report any further contact we have with either De Laborde or the MFA candidacy office. In the meantime, we will also contact the Spanish Industry Ministry POC provided in reftel and report his reaction. ¶4. COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: The Spanish may request a similar commitment from the U.S. In other words, they may ask for the U.S. to support their candidate in the event that the U.S. candidate is eliminated prior to the Spaniard. Post requests Department guidance regarding how to respond to any such Spanish offer. AGUIRRE