Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MADRID598
2007-04-02 15:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN/KOSOVO: UN RESOLUTION KEY TO SPANISH TROOP
how-toVZCZCXRO1994 PP RUEHLA DE RUEHMD #0598 0921542 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021542Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2188 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0034 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 2918 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 0168 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO PRIORITY 0018 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE PRIORITY 0131 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0680 RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2580 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1468 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0333 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0122 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000598
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SCE FOR JOSHUA BLACK
EUR/WE FOR GARY CLEMENTS AND ANGELA CERVETTI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN/KOSOVO: UN RESOLUTION KEY TO SPANISH TROOP
PRESENCE
REF: STATE 37835
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 000598
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SCE FOR JOSHUA BLACK
EUR/WE FOR GARY CLEMENTS AND ANGELA CERVETTI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN/KOSOVO: UN RESOLUTION KEY TO SPANISH TROOP
PRESENCE
REF: STATE 37835
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The DCM met with Spanish MFA Director General for
Europe and North AMERICA Jose Maria PONS Irazazabal on March
29 to discuss Spain's support for the Ahtisaari Plan's
proposals for Kosovo. Pons told DCM that Spain is committed
to supporting the EU common position and strongly supports
the elaboration of a UN resolution on Kosovo's final status.
He said that Spain,s position is not completely in line with
the USG position, but that the general impressions on the way
forward are very similar, reiterating that Spain would not
buck the EU position. The DCM asked Pons about Spanish
policy regarding the presence of Spanish forces in Kosovo.
(NOTE: Embassy learned on 28 March from a non-GOS source that
the MGA would recommend the withdrawal of Spanish forces if
there were no UN resolution authorizing their presence and
the Kosovars declared independence. END NOTE.) Pons said
that if there was no UN resolution and Kosovo declared
independence, it was extremely likely that Spain would
withdraw its forces. The DCM said that he hoped this was not
the final Spanish position and asked whether this had ever
been briefed to the U.S. Pons acknowledged that this
position had not been previously briefed to the U.S. He
added hypothetically that if a crisis emerged without an
authorizing UNSC resolution, Spain would likely assist. DCM
pressed Pons on this issue, saying that the abrupt withdrawal
of foreign forces could itself trigger such a crisis.
2. (U) In Bremen on March 30, Secretary of State for the
European Union Alberto Navarro told Gymnich press that Spain
was not satisfied with the Ahtisaari Plan but would not break
with the European consensus. "It worries us that we are
talking about the disintegration of European states, that the
map of Europe changes every year, that in schools one sees
new states appear," he said. "Spain will not break the unity
of the EU and the international community, and for this
reason we support the Ahtisaari plan. Nevertheless, we ask
that the Security Council adopt a clear resolution which
establishes a legal basis for Kosovo."
//COMMENT//
3. (C) The Spanish will not be, nor have they been,
particularly helpful with respect to Kosovo, but they will
not pose a problem if the Ahtisaari Plan moves ahead
successfully. Nevertheless, their public and excessive
insistance on a UNSC resolution could prove self-defeating
and embolden Russia to be that much more recalcitrant in the
Security Council.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
Aguirre
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SCE FOR JOSHUA BLACK
EUR/WE FOR GARY CLEMENTS AND ANGELA CERVETTI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN/KOSOVO: UN RESOLUTION KEY TO SPANISH TROOP
PRESENCE
REF: STATE 37835
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) The DCM met with Spanish MFA Director General for
Europe and North AMERICA Jose Maria PONS Irazazabal on March
29 to discuss Spain's support for the Ahtisaari Plan's
proposals for Kosovo. Pons told DCM that Spain is committed
to supporting the EU common position and strongly supports
the elaboration of a UN resolution on Kosovo's final status.
He said that Spain,s position is not completely in line with
the USG position, but that the general impressions on the way
forward are very similar, reiterating that Spain would not
buck the EU position. The DCM asked Pons about Spanish
policy regarding the presence of Spanish forces in Kosovo.
(NOTE: Embassy learned on 28 March from a non-GOS source that
the MGA would recommend the withdrawal of Spanish forces if
there were no UN resolution authorizing their presence and
the Kosovars declared independence. END NOTE.) Pons said
that if there was no UN resolution and Kosovo declared
independence, it was extremely likely that Spain would
withdraw its forces. The DCM said that he hoped this was not
the final Spanish position and asked whether this had ever
been briefed to the U.S. Pons acknowledged that this
position had not been previously briefed to the U.S. He
added hypothetically that if a crisis emerged without an
authorizing UNSC resolution, Spain would likely assist. DCM
pressed Pons on this issue, saying that the abrupt withdrawal
of foreign forces could itself trigger such a crisis.
2. (U) In Bremen on March 30, Secretary of State for the
European Union Alberto Navarro told Gymnich press that Spain
was not satisfied with the Ahtisaari Plan but would not break
with the European consensus. "It worries us that we are
talking about the disintegration of European states, that the
map of Europe changes every year, that in schools one sees
new states appear," he said. "Spain will not break the unity
of the EU and the international community, and for this
reason we support the Ahtisaari plan. Nevertheless, we ask
that the Security Council adopt a clear resolution which
establishes a legal basis for Kosovo."
//COMMENT//
3. (C) The Spanish will not be, nor have they been,
particularly helpful with respect to Kosovo, but they will
not pose a problem if the Ahtisaari Plan moves ahead
successfully. Nevertheless, their public and excessive
insistance on a UNSC resolution could prove self-defeating
and embolden Russia to be that much more recalcitrant in the
Security Council.
--------------
Visit Embassy Madrid's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/madrid/
--------------
Aguirre