BRITISH AMBASSADOR TALKS ABOUT ODYSSEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001275

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2017
TAGS: ECON SP PREL EWWT SCUL PHSA PBTS
SUBJECT: BRITISH AMBASSADOR TALKS ABOUT ODYSSEY

REF: MADRID 1191

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDUARDO AGUIRRE FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a June 26 courtesy call, newly arrived British
Ambassador to Spain Denise Holt (strictly protect) told the
Ambassador that tensions with Spain over Odyssey were
continuing to pose an unnecessary threat on the two
countries' bilateral relationship. Holt stated for the
record that the British were in no way linked to Odyssey's
"Black Swan" shipwreck find, and that the only link was the
contractual agreement between the Ministry of Defense and
Odyssey to salvage the HMS Sussex. Nonetheless, the extent to
which the Spain-Odyssey controversy had affected British
interests in Spain was spurring the British Embassy to
distance themselves as much as possible from Odyssey.


2. (C) To that end, Holt said that they would be reviewing
the contract between Great Britain and Odyssey in an attempt
to terminate the contract. Holt noted that she would be
describing to London the impact that the Odyssey controversy
was having locally on bilateral relations (as well as on
Gibraltar issues). She confirmed that though the two Odyssey
vessels were in port in Gibraltar, the British would not aid
the vessels when and if they should sail out.


3. (C) Comment: The British Embassy in Madrid is now intent
in distancing themselves as much as possible from the dispute
between Odyssey and Spain. Having suffered the brunt of the
backlash both in the press and with their interactions with
GoS, Ambassador Holt wants to salvage their relationship and
improve cooperation between the two countries on the
sensitive matter of Gibraltar. The Ambassadors agreed that
the Odyssey "treasure find" should not weaken bilateral
relations between three allies and that both countries should
encourage Odyssey and Spain to find a satisfactory solution
to the dispute. Embassy will continue to work closely with
our counterparts in the UK Embassy here to ensure that the
Odyssey issue has minimal impact on both nations' extensive
interests in Spain.



AGUIRRE