DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION'S OCTOBER 29, 2008,

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001131 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2018 TAGS: MARR NATO AF SP SUBJECT: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION'S OCTOBER 29, 2008, MEETING WITH SPANISH MOD SECRETARY GENERAL FOR POLICY CUESTA REF: A. STATE 108855 ¶B. STATE 97991 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Arnold A. Chacon, Reasons 1.4(b) (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. The Deputy Chief of Mission hosted MOD Secretary General for Policy Luis Cuesta at lunch October 29. They discussed the U.S.-Spain Agreement on Defense Cooperation (which governs U.S. use of the bases at Rota and Moron),Afghanistan, Georgia, nuclear powered warship visits, Somali piracy, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. End summary. Agreement on Defense Cooperation -------------- ¶2. (C) The DCM raised the October 9 pull-aside between SECDEF and MOD Chacon on the margins of the NATO Defense Minister's meeting in Budapest. MOD Chacon suggested to SECDEF that when the existing Agreement on Defense Cooperation (ADC) is renegotiated (the current agreement expires in 2011),the U.S. elevate the agreement to treaty status. Cuesta said the MOD believed an agreement ratified by the U.S. Senate would underscore the importance of the ADC and our bilateral strategic relationship. He emphasized that Spain was happy with the ADC and its implementation and the suggestion that the U.S. give it treaty status was not an attempt to upset the arrangement. He did mention that Spain would seek certain "improvements" when the agreement was renegotiated, and mentioned making the treatment accorded Spanish service members in the U.S. more nearly approximate to that given to U.S. service members in Spain (e.g., with respect to taxes, car licenses, etc.). The DCM welcomed the clarification and explained that treaty ratification in the U.S. was far more complicated and time consuming than in Spain. He suggested there might be other ways to address Spanish concerns when the time came. Afghanistan -------------- ¶3. (C) Cuesta said that contrary to the Spanish press reporting on the SECDEF-MOD meeting, Spain understood very clearly SECDEF's message in Bucharest that a greater effort was needed in Afghanistan. Cuesta noted that the Spanish CHOD and Cuesta's deputy were in Afghanistan assessing the situation. The DCM pressed the case for support for the Afghan elections and Afghan National Army expansion (reftels). Cuesta said the GOS was open to doing more in the coming months. The DCM stressed the bipartisan nature of the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan and the growing international consensus to step up support to Afghanistan to ensure success there. Cuesta acknowledged that the allies were on board with SECDEF's assessment and that the direct appeal at Budapest by Afghan officials had been very effective. He asked that we keep close hold the fact that the Spanish were giving serious consideration to providing additional troops to ensure successful Afghan elections. Georgia -------------- ¶4. (C) Cuesta said he had not heard of any serious effort to postpone the December NATO FM's meeting but thought it possible consideration of MAP for Georgia might be delayed. He said Spain was pleased with the positive evolution of the Georgia crisis. The DCM complemented FM Moratinos' recent statements on Georgia as well as Spain's pledge at the donors' conference. Visits by Nuclear Powered Warships -------------- ¶5. (C) Cuesta noted the imminent visit of a U.S. nuclear submarine to Spain (the Ambassador will be going on board the submarine with a number of distinguished Spanish visitors), saying such visits were very important to maintaining the excellent defense relationship. He said Spain would welcome even more ship visits to more ports. The DCM took advantage of the opening to suggest that the U.S. Navy was interested in expanding the number of Spanish ports which U.S. Navy nuclear powered warships could visit, for example, by including the Canary Islands (Note: we are currently limited to Cartegena, Palma de Mallorca, and Rota. End note). Cuesta said Spain would be open to discussion of such a proposal. Somalia Piracy, Chad -------------- ¶6. (C) Cuesta mentioned that he would accompany Chacon to Djibouti November 1-2 along with the French MOD. While there Spain would sign agreements with the French for use of their Djibouti installations to support Spanish air and naval assets in the area to protect Spanish fishing boats. Cuesta said he was pleased with the actions the EU and NATO were taking to address Somali piracy, and he recognized the importance of the UK hosting the headquarters and taking a leadership role. (Note: A day after the DCM's meeting with Cuesta, the Spanish press reported that on October 28 a Spanish P-3 had foiled a pirate attack on a Panamanian oil freighter in the Gulf of Aden by dropping smoke bombs on the pirates). Cuesta also mentioned that he and Chacon had recently visited Spanish forces serving in the EU mission in Chad. He noted conditions were tough there and added that Chacon had met with Chadian officials. Democratic Republic of the Congo -------------- ¶7. (C) Cuesta seemed quite embarrassed by the sudden departure of the Spanish general commanding UN forces. He said Spain had pressed hard for his selection. He did not elaborate on the reasons for the general's departure, but opined that it could not have come at a worse time given the deteriorating situation in the DRC. He mentioned that Spain was working to evacuate some Spanish nuns, either to South Africa or back to Spain. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) We believe we can walk the Spanish back from the suggestion that the ADC become a U.S. treaty by a combined approach of elaborating on just how time consuming and potentially difficult that process can be and by offering creative solutions to the problems (which are after all relatively minor) Spain believes treaty status would solve. Cuesta's comments on a greater additional Spanish effort in Afghanistan were the most positive we have ever heard here. There is still nothing to "take to the bank," but it appears Spanish attitudes are trending in the right direction. AGUIRRE