(U) NEA A/S WELCH,S SEPTEMBER 28, 2007, MEETING WITH SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MIGUEL MORATINOS AND DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MIDDLE EAST ALVARO IRANZO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 138404

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2017
TAGS: OVIP WELCH DAVID UNGA PREL KPKO SP XI XF
SUBJECT: (U) NEA A/S WELCH,S SEPTEMBER 28, 2007, MEETING
WITH SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MIGUEL MORATINOS AND
DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MIDDLE EAST ALVARO IRANZO


Classified By: (U) Classified by: NEA Assistant Secretary of State
David Welch, Department of State. Reason 1.4 (b and d)

2.(U) September 28, 2007, 1:00 p.m., New York


3. (U) Participants:

United States
A/S David Welch, NEA
Kim Harrington, NEA (Notetaker)
Elaine Samson, EUR (Notetaker)

Spain
Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos
Director General for Middle East Alvaro Iranzo
Political Director for Europe and North America
Rafael Dezcallar
Embassy Middle East Political Advisor
Alvaro Rodriguez


4. (C) SUMMARY. The Spanish officials noted that
"Spain has a special relationship with the Arab world
and it is at the disposal of the United States."
Spain thinks the upcoming Middle East Conference
could be a real breakthrough, and wants to participate.
FM Moratinos delivered a message that Palestinian
Authority PM Abu Mazen needs U.S. support to insulate
himself from Palestinian factions in order to deal at
the conference. Moratinos claims Spain is trying to
be as constructive as possible with Syria; he is not
"friends" with Syria, but that his personal
relationships with Syrian leaders may be able to
change their behavior. Spain has many interests
at stake in Western Sahara; "it is our Iraq."
However, DG for Middle East Iranzo had no
suggestions for progress. A/S Welch explained
USG frustration with lack of progress between the
parties, and plans for new language using the Moroccan
proposal "as the basis for negotiation" in the October
MINURSO renewal resolution. END SUMMARY.

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U.S. Conference on Middle East
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5. (C) Spanish FM Moratinos thanked the United
States for the upcoming conference on the Middle East
and commented that he could see Secretary Rice's and
A/S Welch's efforts to push all the parties so that
the conference would be a real breakthrough, bringing
the world to an historic moment. Moratinos said that
he had to pass a political message to the United States
that Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Abu Mazen
feels there can be movement forward in the peace
process with Israel, but that Abu Mazen would need U.S.
support to insulate him from all the competing
Palestinian factions. Moratinos stressed how important
it is that Spain be invited to the conference, given
how active Moratinos has been in the region and his
extensive personal contacts with Middle East leaders.
A/S Welch explained that the U.S. is not going to
announce more details about the conference for about
another month, and urged Spain not to misunderstand if
the USG did not respond now. A/S Welch asked Spain for
help to get Israel and the Palestinians to make some
real gestures now, to pave the way for a successful
conference. Welch also noted that we need the support
of the Arabs on Abu Mazen and to delegitimate anyone
who attacks the current steps in the process.

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Syria
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6. (C) FM Moratinos admitted that he was very
concerned about the whole stability of the Israeli-
Palestinian peace process and the possibility of
bringing Syria into the process in any kind of
constructive manner. While insisting that Spain
is not "friends" with Syria, Moratinos has good
personal relations with Syrian leaders, which he
hopes he can use to influence their behavior
and policy. Moratinos said that the Syrians want

STATE 00138404 002 OF 002

SUBJECT: (U) NEA A/S WELCH,S SEPTEMBER 28, 2007, MEETING
WITH SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MIGUEL MORATINOS AND
DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MIDDLE EAST ALVARO IRAN
to see that their issues with Israel will be
addressed at the conference, or at some point in
the process. A/S Welch said that the conference
includes the comprehensive framework, but that the
Arabs will focus on the Palestinians, not Syria.
However, Syria will not be excluded. Moratinos
reported that he recently met with Syrian President
Bashir Al Assad and claimed that the Europeans want
to disengage Syria from Iran and have offered
Syria inducements to do so, but what Syria really
wants is an offer from the United States.
Moratinos reiterated that Spain is trying to be as
constructive as possible in its talks with Syria.
He said Syria knows that it will be cut out of
relations if it does not behave constructively at
the Washington Middle East Conference. A/S Welch
told the Spanish that he was very worried about the
Syrians because their behavior was becoming
increasingly entrenched and they did not seem to
understand the consequences of their actions.
While it difficult to know if we can change Syria's
behavior, it is possible to affect the Palestinians
and Lebanon in a positive way and that will have an
effect on Syrian strategic interests.

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Lebanon Border Mission
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7. (C) Director General for the Middle East
Alvaro Iranzo commented that the proposed EU mission
to the Lebanon-Syria border area would be managed
so that it was completely consistent with UN Security
Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1559 and 1701. Iranzo
said that in the EU's discussions with Lebanese PM
Siniora, he was very positive about the idea.
A/S Welch told Iranzo that Siniora had some specific
views on the border mission if it comes together,
including security issues, some camps associated with
Syria, border demarcation issues, and the advisability
of having both European and Arabs present in a mission.

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Western Sahara
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8. (C) DG Iranzo talked at enormous length about the
Spanish perspective on Western Sahara; about the
importance of the Maghreb to Spain; and about Spanish
concerns about terrorism coming from or through the Maghreb.
"Western Sahara is our Iraq," said Iranzo, noting it is
in the press every day. He reviewed the UN mechanism
and its lack of progress despite the renewed talks over
the past few months, although he did note that even
Algeria had referred to Western Sahara as an "entity"
which he viewed as an indication of flexibility.
He offered no suggestions on a way forward. A/S Welch
explained that the United States was unsure about what
to do at this point, since it was clear Western Sahara
would never be an independent state, and autonomy within
Morocco was the best solution. We need to change the
psychology of the situation and move beyond the out-moded
ideas of self-determination that do not fit this situation.
The Moroccan proposal is one way to do that. Working with
the UN Special Representative, France and other countries
are other ways. The United States would like to start
inserting language into the MINURSO renewal resolution that
the Moroccan proposal should be "the basis of negotiations."
If that is not possible, and there is no progress among
the parties, the USG may start saying publicly that it
believes autonomy within Morocco is the best solution
for Western Sahara. The USG believes that some progress
an be made, and we would like to try to get some stronger
language in the October MINRSO renewal resolution.
The USG acknowledges that France and Spain have greater
interests at stake in Western Sahara, but we feel it is
time to start pushing Algeria toward a new understanding
of an eventual solution.
RICE