SPAIN/CUBA: DOMESTIC POLITICS SCUTTLE UNITY ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MADRID 003081 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR FOR A/S FRIED AND PDAS VOLKER WHA FOR A/S SHANNON AND PDAS SHAPIRO EUR/WE FOR ALLEGRONE, CLEMENTS, AND CERVETTI E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV CU SP SUBJECT: SPAIN/CUBA: DOMESTIC POLITICS SCUTTLE UNITY ON CUBA TRANSITION MADRID 00003081 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens; reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: The opposition Popular Party (PP) presented a Parliamentary motion December 19 calling for unity among Spanish political parties in supporting a democratic transition in Cuba. Foreign Minister Moratinos had signaled to PP Parliamentarians that a common position on Cuba could be negotiated, but the PP measure was defeated by the Socialist Party (PSOE) and its far left coalition partners. PP leaders told us that they had genuinely believed a deal on Cuba had been possible, but that the motion had failed because of political friction over unrelated domestic policy issues, which prevented any possibility of PP-PSOE coordination on an issue of ideological importance to the PSOE's far left allies. One Parliamentarian said that the order to vote against the PP measure had come from President Zapatero himself. The PP intends to propose a similar motion in the European Parliament, where it expects greater success. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) Spanish media reported December 14 that FM Miguel Angel Moratinos had agreed to a suggestion by the PP during a Parliamentary hearing that the PP and the Socialist Party (PSOE) negotiate a unified policy towards Cuba and that this joint policy be announced in the form of a Parliamentary resolution. On December 15, PP Parliamentarian and Secretary for International Relations Jorge Moragas sent the Embassy the Parliamentary transcript of Moratinos' statements on a possible joint policy. ¶3. (SBU) Despite the somewhat acrimonious tone of the exchange between Moragas and Moratinos, Moragas said expressed confidence that Moratinos and the PSOE would be willing to coordinate a joint position. He shared a copy of the PP's negotiating draft (see informal translation in para 9),saying he did not think it should present too many difficulties for the PSOE and that he did not expect a negotiated text to differ significantly from the PP's proposed language. Poloff noted that the US and EU had expressed a joint concern in the human rights situation in Cuba in the statement release during the US-EU Summit in June and shared a copy of that statement at Moragas' request. Moragas said the Parliamentary debate on the proposed resolution would take place December 19. //PSOE AND LEFTIST PARTIES SCUTTLE PROPOSAL// ¶4. (SBU) The debate took place as scheduled, but the PP motion was quickly defeated by a vote of 165 to 132. The PSOE and its far left allies United Left (IU) and Esquerra Republicana (ERC - a Catalan leftist party) voted unanimously against the PP initiative, calling it a "trap" and criticizing the PP's allusion to the Spanish transition as a possible model for Cuba to emulate. PSOE Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Fatima Aburto said that the PSOE agreed that Fidel Castro was a dictator, but said the motion was not "timely" and called the PP motion's criticism of interim leader Raul Castro "political interference" in Cuba's domestic affairs. Representatives of the far left "Esquerra Republicana" (ERC - a Catalan party) and the United Left (IU - remnants of the Communist Party) denounced the PP motion as an effort to bring Spanish policy on Cuba in line with that of the USG. ¶5. (U) Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida, head of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission and Spokesperson for the center-right Catalan "CiU" party, argued in favor of the PP motion and said that it did nothing to aid USG sanctions against Cuba, as implied by leftist critics. Duran said the CiU's view was that "Cuba should not be a polemical or a political issue within Spain. We have sought consensus, but it has not been possible." Both the CiU and the moderate Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) abstained in the final vote (NOTE: Total PP, CiU, and PNV votes could only have reached 165, so were insufficient to overcome the 165 votes of leftist parties. END NOTE). ¶6. (C) The DCM spoke with PP Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Spokesperson Gustavo Aristegui, who said the PP motion had failed for three reasons in his view: MADRID 00003081 002.2 OF 003 - First, it remained difficult for some elements of the PSOE to openly criticize the Cuban Government. - Second, the political environment is very poisonous at the moment and the PSOE's operational imperative is to isolate the PP at every turn. - Third, the PSOE's far left partners ERC and IU were so strident on the issue that the PSOE did not want to be seen as bending in the direction of the PP on this issue, particularly since the ERC and IU were already critical of what they view as lukewarm PSOE support for Spain's "Law of Historical Memory," which is aimed at rehabilitating victims of the Franco dictatorship. Aristegui said that the PP had genuinely hoped to establish a common position on Cuba and had therefore proposed the moderate language that they believed would be acceptable to the PSOE. He insisted that if the PP had simply wanted to score political points, they would have presented a far more critical motion and simply anticipated defeat. //PP TO PRESENT CUBA MOTION IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT// ¶7. (C) PP Parliamentarian Jorge Moragas confirmed Aristegui's analysis in a subsequent conversation with the DCM, adding that FM Moratinos had engaged him privately and had seemed interested in achieving a common position. He lamented the failure of the PP motion, saying he had been instructed by PP leader Mariano Rajoy to craft as moderate a proposal as possible in order to demonstrate good faith and gain an agreement. Moragas said that it was his understanding that the order to the PSOE to vote against the Cuba motion had come "from the top" (President Zapatero) in order to quell complaints by the ERC and IU that the PSOE was wavering on the Law of Historical memory. Moragas said that the PP would present a similar motion in the European Parliament, where he anticipated success. //COMMENT// ¶8. (C) Unfortunately, Cuba remains very much a domestic issue in Spain and Cuba policy reflects divisions between the left and the right that have grown deeper over the last several years over issues such as the "Law of Historical Memory." It did not help that this debate came at the same time as tensions have increased between President Zapatero and PP leader Mariano Rajoy over the direction of the Basque peace process, with the PP accusing Zapatero and the PSOE of ceding to Basque extremists. The failure of the PP Parliamentary motion on Cuba is not a clear victory for the Zapatero Government, which does seem to feel a vulnerability to PP accusations that it is soft in the face of Cuban human rights violations. However, in light of PSOE-PP tensions on a broad range of issues, the PSOE is not willing to upset its far left allies simply to achieve an agreement with the PP on Cuba. We will continue to work with our PSOE contacts to encourage a more critical analysis of events in Cuba and the need to strongly support a rapid democratic transition. PSOE Spokesperson Fatima Aburto replaced Spain's newly appointed Ambassador to Argentina, Rafael Estrella, who stuck to the PSOE line but was also critical of the Cuban Government's human rights practices. We are seeking an early meeting with her to discuss Cuba and other key issues. //PP DRAFT CUBA RESOLUTION// ¶9. (U) An informal translation of the PP proposal follows: BEGIN TEXT Motion to Establish a Common Position with Respect to Cuba's Future The delicate state of affairs in Cuba creates a new occasion for the Spanish people to demonstrate the special bonds of affection and friendship that tie them to the Cuban people and their desire for liberty, peace, and reconciliation. MADRID 00003081 003.2 OF 003 The Cuban question has long been the reason for a legitimate political confrontation within Spain. In light of the uncertain future facing the Island, it is necessary that (this) Parliament convey a message of unity as events develop. This consensus being offered is no different than that offered by several European countries in 1975 when Spain underwent a similarly difficult period. Because of this, and with the intention of presenting a united front before the international community to support a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba: ¶1. The Congress of Deputies declares that: - The future of Cuba should be determined by all Cubans through a dialogue without exclusions and on a basis of respect for the independence and national sovereignty of Cuba. - An open dialogue among Cubans is not possible without the prior liberation of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. - The Government of Spain should direct its efforts so that the dialogue among Cubans will lead to a policy of democratic reforms that will include the recognition of political parties, labor unions, and independent media. ¶2. The Congress of Deputies also calls upon the (Spanish) Government to: - Convey in its critical dialogue with the Cuban authorities that the Spanish people and Spanish institutions express their support for the Cuban people to begin finding their way towards a peaceful transition to democracy. - Ensure that the reconciliation and renewed contacts among all Cubans include those suffering exile and who are disposed to work peacefully for liberty, democracy, and peace among Cubans. - Announce to the International Community, and in particular to the European Union, this Spanish common position with the intention of helping to construct a Cuban consensus built upon the full recognition of political pluralism and that, by means of direct elections based upon universal suffrage and secret ballots, will lead to a Cuba that is free, democratic, SIPDIS and independent. AGUIRRE