Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MADRID536
2007-03-22 14:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:  

SPAIN FAVORS UN UMBRELLA FOR WESTERN SAHARA

Tags:  PREL PBTS UNSC SP WI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2599
PP RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #0536 0811451
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221451Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2143
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 3932
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0872
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 1143
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1266
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 6014
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2558
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0330
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000536 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/WE FOR GARY CLEMENTS AND ANGELA CERVETTI
NEA/MAG FOR ROBERT EWING AND JAMES FLOWERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PBTS UNSC SP WI
SUBJECT: SPAIN FAVORS UN UMBRELLA FOR WESTERN SAHARA
NEGOTIATIONS

REF: A. STATE 35098


B. NEA/MAG E-MAIL - 03/21/07

C. MADRID 529

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000536

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/WE FOR GARY CLEMENTS AND ANGELA CERVETTI
NEA/MAG FOR ROBERT EWING AND JAMES FLOWERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PBTS UNSC SP WI
SUBJECT: SPAIN FAVORS UN UMBRELLA FOR WESTERN SAHARA
NEGOTIATIONS

REF: A. STATE 35098


B. NEA/MAG E-MAIL - 03/21/07

C. MADRID 529

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Poloff delivered ref. A demarche to MFA Deputy
Director General for North Africa Manuel Gomez-Acebo on March
21, asking Spain to intervene with the Polisario Front (PF)
and encourage them to agree to direct negotiations with
Morocco under U.S. auspices at a neutral location. Poloff
emphasized that the plan was a Moroccan effort and that the
U.S. strongly encouraged the PF to accept this opportunity.
Gomez-Acebo said he viewed this as a very interesting and
positive development, adding that his only doubt was the lack
of mention of the United Nations. He said Spain would like
to see the negotiations take place under a UN umbrella to
provide international legitimacy/pressure and preserve UNSC
principles of reference for a final solution.


2. (C) Gomez-Acebo asked about the timing of the
negotiations - whether this was intended as a first step
prior to Morocco's publication of the plan and the April
expiration of the Minurso mandate. On U.S. support for the
Moroccan plan in the event of PF inaction, he said he assumed
this would be a public show of support in the UN. He also
wished to clarify that the U.S. had not extended an
invitation to Algeria.


3. (C) With respect to a likely response from the Polisario,
Gomez-Acebo said that Spain's latest information indicated
that the PF does not want to use the Moroccan autonomy plan
as the "only basis for discussion," but that it would not
discard out of hand the Moroccan plan. He said he would
discuss the matter with Alvaro Iranzo, DG for the
Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa (currently in Cyprus)
and Rafael Dezcallar, DG for Foreign Policy, and might also
contact NEA DAS Gordon Gray (ref. B).


4. (C) Lastly, Gomez-Acebo repeated his statement (ref. C)
that Spain is expecting to host UNSE Van Walsum in the near
future (without specifying date) and was seeking to confirm a
visit from the Polisario Front.

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