SPAIN HAS SIGNED AND RATIFIED NUCLEAR TERRORISM

UNCLAS MADRID 001469 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, L, AND S/CT FOR EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER KNNP MCAP PINR PINS PARM PREL SP SUBJECT: SPAIN HAS SIGNED AND RATIFIED NUCLEAR TERRORISM CONVENTION AND ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO DO THE SAME REF: STATE 102149 ¶1. (SBU) On July 24 Poloff delivered REFTEL to Ignacio Sanchez, MFA Deputy Director General for Nonproliferation and Disarmament. Sanchez confirmed that Spain was one of the 23 states to have signed and ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (NTC). He said that Spain chose to be in the leading group of countries to accede to this treaty due to its commitment to fight terrorism, and it is actively lobbying third countries to join the convention as well. Sanchez described Spain's national legislation on terrorism as "quite extensive," due to Spain's long history with ETA, and now Islamic terrorist threats. Sanchez said his government looks forward to U.S. ratification of the treaty. AGUIRRE