Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MADRID2322
2006-09-15 15:00:00
SECRET
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN: PRESS ON WESTERN SAHARA BUT KEEP MINURSO FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO4842 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHMD #2322 2581500 ZNY SSSSS ZZH (CCY CHANGED WORD SUB AD02400A15 MSI2419 508) P 151500Z SEP 06 ZDS FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0761 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 3901 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0325 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 1116 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 5971 RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2077 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 1527 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0203
S E C R E T MADRID 002322
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CHANGED WORD IN SUBJECT LINE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MO WI AG FR SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: PRESS ON WESTERN SAHARA BUT KEEP MINURSO FOR
NOW
REF: STATE 150118
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
S E C R E T MADRID 002322
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CHANGED WORD IN SUBJECT LINE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MO WI AG FR SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: PRESS ON WESTERN SAHARA BUT KEEP MINURSO FOR
NOW
REF: STATE 150118
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (S) Spanish MFA DG for Middle East/Africa Alvaro Iranzo
welcomed enthusiastically new US engagement on Western Sahara
and efforts to break the stalemate by pressing Morocco for a
credible autonomy plan and talks with the Polisario, along
with urging Algerian support and flexibility (reftel). When
briefed by PolCouns Sept. 13 on the new USG effort, Iranzo
said Spain agrees "100 percent" with these goals and shares
the US analysis that the status quo stalemate is no longer
acceptable. He cautioned, however, against use of the threat
of MINURSO termination, fearing that if the new effort fails
and leads to the end of MINURSO without a solution in train,
the situation in the region would worsen, leading to
increased tension and confrontation. He agreed, however, on
the need for an exit strategy for MINURSO and said that the
current process should not imply indefinite MINURSO extension.
2. (S) While strongly agreeing on the need to pressure
Morocco for an autonomy plan, he thought that the short time
frame between now and Oct. 31 when the UNSC next takes up
MINURSO extension might not be sufficient to produce the
plan. Perhaps some other forms of progress would be
sufficient to allow the extension of MINURSO in October,
combined with a strong UNSC statement and continued pressure
on Morocco to produce a credible plan.
3. (S) Iranzo emphasized Spain's direct national security
interest in the resolution of the Western Sahara dispute and
his government's desire to be part of the consultation
process. He politely indicated that Spain would have liked
to have been brought into the process of developing our new
approach in advance, but was grateful for the briefing and
said that he would welcome the opportunity for consultations
as the US fine-tunes and further develops the new policy.
For this reason, he remains eager to see A/S Welch in New
York on the margins of UNGA the week of Sept. 19-22.
4. (S) In a meeting with DCM Sept. 14 on other subjects,
Spanish National Security Advisor Carles Casajuana echoed
Iranzo,s comments on the new US approach to Western Sahara,
including the strong caution against MINURSO termination.
He said that while sometimes such operations may appear
useless after being in place for so many years, it is not
until they are removed that we see their value. He thought
the situation would worsen if we had to fulfill the threat to
terminate MINURSO.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
LLORENS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CHANGED WORD IN SUBJECT LINE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MO WI AG FR SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: PRESS ON WESTERN SAHARA BUT KEEP MINURSO FOR
NOW
REF: STATE 150118
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (S) Spanish MFA DG for Middle East/Africa Alvaro Iranzo
welcomed enthusiastically new US engagement on Western Sahara
and efforts to break the stalemate by pressing Morocco for a
credible autonomy plan and talks with the Polisario, along
with urging Algerian support and flexibility (reftel). When
briefed by PolCouns Sept. 13 on the new USG effort, Iranzo
said Spain agrees "100 percent" with these goals and shares
the US analysis that the status quo stalemate is no longer
acceptable. He cautioned, however, against use of the threat
of MINURSO termination, fearing that if the new effort fails
and leads to the end of MINURSO without a solution in train,
the situation in the region would worsen, leading to
increased tension and confrontation. He agreed, however, on
the need for an exit strategy for MINURSO and said that the
current process should not imply indefinite MINURSO extension.
2. (S) While strongly agreeing on the need to pressure
Morocco for an autonomy plan, he thought that the short time
frame between now and Oct. 31 when the UNSC next takes up
MINURSO extension might not be sufficient to produce the
plan. Perhaps some other forms of progress would be
sufficient to allow the extension of MINURSO in October,
combined with a strong UNSC statement and continued pressure
on Morocco to produce a credible plan.
3. (S) Iranzo emphasized Spain's direct national security
interest in the resolution of the Western Sahara dispute and
his government's desire to be part of the consultation
process. He politely indicated that Spain would have liked
to have been brought into the process of developing our new
approach in advance, but was grateful for the briefing and
said that he would welcome the opportunity for consultations
as the US fine-tunes and further develops the new policy.
For this reason, he remains eager to see A/S Welch in New
York on the margins of UNGA the week of Sept. 19-22.
4. (S) In a meeting with DCM Sept. 14 on other subjects,
Spanish National Security Advisor Carles Casajuana echoed
Iranzo,s comments on the new US approach to Western Sahara,
including the strong caution against MINURSO termination.
He said that while sometimes such operations may appear
useless after being in place for so many years, it is not
until they are removed that we see their value. He thought
the situation would worsen if we had to fulfill the threat to
terminate MINURSO.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
LLORENS