CONGEN BARCELONA ACTION ON ROSALINI CASE AND

UNCLAS MADRID 001806 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (ESAMSON) AND L/CID (TFEIGHENERY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP CASC ECON SP SUBJECT: CONGEN BARCELONA ACTION ON ROSALINI CASE AND EMBASSY APPROACH TO MINISTRY OF CULTURE REF: A. (A) 9/13/07 MICO-SCHONANDER E-MAIL (B) MADRID 01725 (C) 8/6/07 SCHONANDER-ALLEGRONE E-MAIL (D) MADRID 00142 ¶B. (E) 06 MADRID 02793 (F) 06 MADRID 01848 ¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified. ¶2. This is an action cable. See para. 3. ¶3. ConGen Barcelona called the Audiencia Provincial de Barcelona on 9/12/07 and learned that Dugan Rosalini's case has been postponed until sometime in early April, 2008. The case is being handled by the Seccion Novena Penal of the Audiencia Provincial de Barcelona (Tel: 93 567 3109). The case number is: Summary Criminal Proceeding 248/06 B. The court clerk told the Consulate that the trial was being postponed to "allow the U.S. trial to take place first." There is an outstanding Cook County, Illinois judgment, but the Embassy is unaware of an ongoing U.S. trial. Embassy requests Department ascertain what possible court proceeding the Catalan court clerk might be referring to. ¶4. EmbOff discussed the case with Ministry of Culture International Cooperation Director General Carlos Alberdi on 9/13/07. Alberdi told EmbOff that the former Under Secretary of Culture, Antonio Hidalgo, was interested in seeking a solution. In fact, this was the reason he asked for a 7/6/07 appointment with EmbOff. However, the meeting was cancelled because on that day, Minister Carmen Calvo and Under Secretary Antonio Hidalgo were replaced by Cesar Antonio SIPDIS Molina and Dolores Carrion respectively. Alberdi said he would discuss the case with the new team, but he did know whether they would be especially interested in the issue as they are not associated with the Barcelona Forum. AGUIRRE