IOM: SPAIN WILL CONSIDER SWING AS U.S. CANDIDATE

UNCLAS MADRID 001356 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS PRM GENEVA FOR DAVID REIMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EUN PREF PREL SMIG SP SUBJECT: IOM: SPAIN WILL CONSIDER SWING AS U.S. CANDIDATE REF: STATE 93916 (SBU) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Spanish MFA Deputy Director General for International Technical Organizations Enrique Yturriaga on July 11. Yturriaga told POLOFF that Spain supports the two-term limit, and that any candidate who did not have the support of his own country would have difficulty gaining the support of other nations. Regarding the candidacy of Ambassador Swing, Yturriaga said that he would consult with Spain's mission in Geneva and a decision would be made closer to the election. He said, however, that certain IOM members that are developing countries had objections to continuing U.S. preeminence in IOM, viewing the organization as mainly a vehicle for U.S. interests. He added that Spain generally supports the rotation of important offices among geographic groups, though he could not say definitively if that would be the case with IOM, which Spain has only recently rejoined. In any case, he appreciated the clarification that Ambassador Swing is the U.S. candidate and he expressed his conviction in Swing's qualifications for the office. -------------- Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/ -------------- AGUIRRE