SPANISH PROPOSAL FOR NCIS/OSI AGREEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MADRID 000066

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH PROPOSAL FOR NCIS/OSI AGREEMENT

REF: 06 MADRID 3048

Classified By: Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C/NF) As previewed in reftel, MOD has proposed a
radically shorter, less detailed draft agreement that would
govern the actions in Spain of the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service (NCIS) and USAF Office of Special
Investigations (OSI). Although only OSD can fully evaluate
the text that MOD transmitted on January 11 via the Permanent
Committee (PC - the bilateral administrative body that
implements the US-Spain Agreement on Defense Cooperation) and
the Spanish proposal maintains its position regarding
ultimate authority over the activities of the NCIS/OSI
activities, it appears that the GOS has made several
important concessions, including withdrawing its proposed
"shadow agent" requirement that Spanish naval security
personnel accompany NCIS and OSI agents during all their
activities.


2. (C/NF) Embassy believes the appointment of Admiral
Francisco Hernandez as President of the Spanish side of the
US-Spain Permanent Committee that oversees base issues in
Spain, and Ambassador Mora-Figueroa as the new Vice President
(who is always an MFA appointee),showed GOS desire to
improve the atmosphere on this issue. Hernandez and
Mora-Figueroa appear to have developed and pressed for the
new, shorter version as a means to show good faith and try to
find less complex language that would account for Spain's
public opinion concerns and the USG's force protection and
operational/oversight concerns. In addition, the
accompanying transmittal memo showed a desire to reach an
agreement rapidly, by proposing a negotiating session in
Madrid as soon as possible, agreeing to carry out further
negotiations in English, and setting a negotiating team made
up of people with significant and favorable experience
working with the US. The Spanish team would be Vice Admiral
Enrique Perez Ramirez, deputy director general for defense
policy, Rear Admiral Hernandez, and Mora-Figueroa. The
Spanish team ultimately would report to MOD SYG for Political
Affairs Francisco Torrente.


3. (C/NF) The following text includes the Spanish proposal as
delivered in both English and Spanish, the transmittal memo
in Spanish, and an informal translation into English of the
transmittal memo. Begin text.

-- TRANSMITTAL MEMO (informal translation) --

TO: President of the US Section of the US-Spain Permanent
Committee

As a result of the discussions in the latest meeting between
the US Defense Secretary and the Spanish Defense Minister, we
propose convening a meeting in the Permanent Committee's
headquarters to reach agreement on the activities of NCIS/OSI
in Spain. This section welcomes receiving proposed dates as
soon as possible, estimating that the meeting will last at
least two days.

To start the negotiations, the MOU is submitted as an
attachment. It will be discussed point by point in English,
and therefore this section will deliver an official English
version in the next few days.

As SecDef suggested during the recent meeting, the
negotiators on the Spanish side would be Vice Admiral Perez
Ramirez, Deputy DG for Plans and Int'l Relations of the
Directorate of Defense Policy, Rear Admiral Hernandez Moreno,
president of the Spanish section of the PC, and Minister
Plenipotentiary Mora Figueroa, vice president of the Spanish
section of the PC.

At the end of the negotiations, a meeting with the Secretary
General for Defense Policy, Admiral General Torrente Sanchez
will be held to present final conclusions.

/s/
Rear Admiral President Francisco Hernandez Moreno

-- TRANSMITTAL MEMO (original Spanish) --

Destinatario: Sr. Cor. Presidente de la Seccion
Norteamericana del Comite Permanente Hispano-Norteamericano

En consecuencia de lo hablado en el ultimo encuentro entre el
Secretario de Defensa de los EEUU y el Ministro de Defensa de

SIPDIS
Espana se propone convocar una reunion en el seno de este
Comite para llegar a un acuerdo sobre las actividades de los

MADRID 00000066 002 OF 004


NCIS/AFOSI en Espana. Esta seccion esta abierta a recibir
propuesta de fechas, lo antes posible, estimando su duracion
de al menos dos dias.

Para el inicio de las negociaciones se remite el MOU de
anexo, que seria tratado punto por punto en lengua inglesa,
para ello esta seccion remitira en los proximos dias una
version oficial en ingles.

Igualmente, como propuso el Secretario de Defensa en el
mencionado encuentro, por parte espanola los interlocutores
serian el Vicealmirante Perez Ramirez, Subdirector de Planes
y Relaciones Internacionales de la Direccion General de
Politica de Defensa, el Contralmirante Fernandez Moreno,
Presidente de la Seccion Espanola del Comite, y el Ministro
Plenipotenciario de Primera, Sr. Mora Figueroa, Marques de
Tamaron, Vicepresidente de esta Seccion.

Al finalizar las negociaciones se tiene previsto un encuentro
con el Secretario General de Politica de Defensa, Almirante
General Torrente Sanchez para presentar las conclusiones
finales.

/s/
Contralmirante Presidente Francisco Hernandez Moreno

-- SPANISH DRAFT MOU (official translation received from
Spanish MOD) --

Article 17.6 of the Agreement on Defense Cooperation between
the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain of
December 1, 1988, revised by the Protocol of Amendment April
10, 2002, envisages that the U.S. Naval Criminal
Investigative Service (NCIS) and the U.S. Air Force Office of
Special Investigations (AFOSI) may maintain personnel in
Spain to act jointly with their counterparts of the Spanish
State Security and Intelligence Services on matters of mutual
interest, and to conduct criminal investigations involving
U.S. personnel or property. It also establishes that the
competent Authorities of both countries shall establish
regulations for such activities.

Therefore, both parties agree on the following Regulations:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGULATING U.S. ACTIVITIES IN
SPAIN OF THE U.S. NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE (NCIS)
AND THE U.S. AIR FORCE OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
(AFOSI).

In accordance with article 17.6 of the Agreement on Defense
Cooperation between the United States of America and the
Kingdom of Spain, the NCIS and AFOSI will act in Spain
according to the following Rules:

- The U.S. Section of the Permanent Committee (PCUSS) should
request the Spanish Section (PCSPS) - at least 7 working days
in advance - the identification of those NCIS and AFOSI
members, that both permanently or temporarily may carry out
or plan to carry out activities in Spain. These personnel
will not be able to carry out any activities without the
required identification granted by the PCSPS.

- While conducting their activities in Spanish territory,
NCIS and AFOSI personnel should previously show their
identification either to the Spanish Authority which they are
working with or to its agents.

- The activities in Spanish territory of NCIS and AFOSI
personnel will be carried out jointly with Spanish agents,
unless the relevant Spanish Authority specifically waves its
right to do so. The PCSPS will be responsible for the control
of NCIS and AFOSI personnel and will be in charge of their
coordination with the Spanish Authorities, Public
Organizations, or Registries, through the relevant points of
contact. It could also take the necessary steps in order to
obtain the information requested by the PCUSS from the
above-mentioned bodies.

- Prior to starting any specific activity, NCIS and AFOSI
personnel will request authorization from the Spanish Section
of the Permanent Committee, through the U.S. Section, who
will inform of its decision. Such activity should be limited
and restricted to the authorization granted.

- In order to carry out the criminal investigations foreseen
in the Agreement, and that are to be conducted jointly with
the State Security Forces, NCIS and AFOSI personnel should
require authorization from the Spanish Section, through the
U.S. Section, informing of the nature of the facts they

MADRID 00000066 003 OF 004


intend to clarify, the people involved and possible places of
action.

- If as a result of such criminal investigations there are
proved evidences that a crime has been committed, the Spanish
authorities acting jointly with NCIS and AFOSI personnel will
inform the Spanish Judicial Authority. U.S. investigators
should also inform PCSPS through PCUSS and then wait for
directions to continue with their investigations. According
to article 39 of the Agreement on Defense Cooperation, the
PCSPS may waive its right of jurisdiction.

- Every three months, and whenever required, PCUSS will
forward to the PCSPS a report outlining the activities
conducted, the Spanish authorities and organizations
contacted by the NCIS or AFOSI, as well as the status of any
ongoing investigations and, when appropriate, the estimated
date for conclusion.

- In case of conflict, the Spanish Section of the Permanent
Committee, after any consultations it deems necessary, will
resolve any issue that could arise from the application of
these Rules with the required urgency.

- This MOU will have effect from 2007, for a one year
period, and will be extended automatically, unless one of the
Parties communicates its intention to review or modify any of
its items.

-- SPANISH DRAFT MOU (original Spanish) --

El articulo 17.6 del Convenio de Cooperacion para la Defensa
entre el Reino de Espana y los Estados Unidos de America de 1
de diciembre de 1988, revisado por el protocolo de enmienda
de 10 de abril de 2002, contempla que el U.S. Naval Criminal
Investigative Service (NCIS) y la U.S. Air Force Office of
Special Investigations (AFOSI) podran mantener personal en
Espana para actuar en conjuncion con sus homologos de los
Cuerpos y Fuerzas de Seguridad del Estado y de los Servicios
de Inteligencia espanoles en asuntos de interes mutuo y
llevar a cabo investigaciones criminales que afecten a
personal o bienes de los EEUU. Asi mismo establece que las
Autoridades competentes de ambos paises deberan establecer
las normas para dichas actuaciones.

Por ello, ambas partes acuerdan las siguientes Normas
Reguladoras:

MEMORANDUM DE ENTENDIMIENTO PARA REGULAR LA ACTUACION EN
ESPANA DEL U.S. NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE (NCIS) Y
DE LA U.S. AIR FORCE OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS (AFOSI)
DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA.

En cumplimiento del articulo 17.6 del Convenio de Cooperacion
para la Defensa entre el Reino de Espana y los Estados Unidos
de America, el NCIS y la AFOSI actuaran en Espana siguiendo
las siguientes Normas:

- La Seccion Norteamericana del Comite Permanente (PCUSS)
propondra a la Seccion Espanola (PCSPS),con una anticipacion
de al menos 7 dias habiles, la acreditacion del personal del
NCIS y de la AFOSI que, tanto con caracter permanente como
temporal, actuen o vayan a actuar en Espana. Este personal no
podra realizar actividades sin el documento correspondiente
de acreditacion que le proporcione la PCSPS.

- Durante sus actuaciones en territorio espanol, el personal
del NCIS y de la AFOSI deberan previamente presentar esta
acreditacion a la Autoridad espanola con la que actue en
conjuncion o a sus agentes.

- Las actuaciones en territorio espanol del personal del NCIS
y de la AFOSI se llevaran a cabo en compania de agentes
espanoles, a menos que la Autoridad espanola competente
renuncie expresamente a este derecho. La PCSPS realizara el
control del personal del NCIS y de la AFOSI y gestionara su
coordinacion con las Autoridades, Organismos y Registros
Publicos espanoles, a traves de los correspondientes puntos
de contacto. Podra asimismo realizar gestiones para la
obtencion de datos de las mencionadas entidades a peticion de
la PCUSS.

- Con caracter previo a una actuacion concreta, el personal
del NCIS y de la AFOSI solicitara autorizacion, a travs de
la Seccion Norteamericana, a la Seccion Espanola del Comite
Permanente, quien comunicara la decision que se adopte. La
actuacion debe cenirse a la autorizacion recibida.

- Para realizar las investigaciones criminales previstas en

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el Convenio, que se desarrollarn en conjuncion con las
Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado, el personal del
NCIS y de la AFOSI debera realizar la correspondiente
solicitud a la Seccion Espanola, a traves de la Seccion
Norteamericana, indicando la naturaleza de los hechos que
pretendan esclarecer, las personas implicadas y los lugares
de posible actuacion.

- Si a raiz de las citadas investigaciones criminales se
constataran indicios de la comision de algun delito, las
autoridades espanolas que esten actuando conjuntamento con el
personal del NCIS y de la AFOSI pondran los hechos en
conocimiento de la Autoridad Judicial. Igualmente, los
investigadores norteamericanos daran cuenta a la PCSPS a
traves de la PCUSS esperando instrucciones para continuar con
sus investigaciones. De acuerdo con el articulo 39 del
Convenio de Cooperacion para la Defensa, se podra iniciar en
procedimiento de renuncia de jurisdiccion.

- Trimestralmente, y en todas ocasiones que se solicite, la
PCUSS remitira a la PCSPS un informe de las diligencias
practicadas, autoridades y organismos espanoles con quien
hayan contactado el NCIS o la AFOSI, el estado de las
investigacionies que se esten realizado y, en su caso, el
tiempo estimado para su conclusion.

- En caso de conflicto correspondera a la PCSPS, tras las
consultas que estime necesarias, resolver con la urgencia
necesaria cualquier problema que pudiera plantearse en
relacion con el cumplimiento de estas Normas.

- Este MOU entrara en vigor el de de 2007, durante un
periodo de un ano, prorrogandose automaticamente salvo que se
comunique por una de las Partes la intencion de revisar o
modificar alguno de sus puntos.

End Text.
Aguirre