Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MADRID175
2008-02-15 17:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPANISH POLDIR REQUESTS FULFILLMENT OF AOC
how-toVZCZCXRO9838 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHMD #0175 0461744 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 151744Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4278 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 3302 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0413
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000175
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
USUN FOR LAURIE SHESTACK
EUR/FO FOR FARAH PANDITH
IO/UNP FOR ANNELIESE REINEMEYER
EUR/PGI (COOK, ELDRIDGE, WEINSTEIN, KAMGAR)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM KISL UN SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH POLDIR REQUESTS FULFILLMENT OF AOC
COMMITMENT
REF: A. MADRID 52
B. STATE 4482
C. 2007 STATE 171224
D. 2007 MADRID 2295
E. 2007 MADRID 2046
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) During a February 13 meeting on an unrelated topic,
Spanish Political Director Rafael Dezcallar told the Charge
that he felt obliged to again state Spain's great
disappointment over the USG's inability to fulfill its
commitment to the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) and lack of
high-level participation at the First Forum in Madrid in
January (refs A-C). He noted that Spain had contributed to
the BMENA/MEPI Foundation for the Future almost three years
ago under the understanding and gentleman,s agreement that
the U.S. would be able in some way to support the Alliance of
Civilizations. He said that U.S. inability to keep its word
two years later had left a bad taste within the GOS, adding
that the Spanish have always perceived the U.S. to be
"straight shooters," but not in this case. He said that the
First Forum in Madrid was a largely successful event and that
the Alliance had certain possibilities to make progress on
issues of great concern to the U.S. He said that the AoC was
the most high-profile international effort to address these
concerns, and the U.S. should want to be a part of it.
Noting U.S. concerns about the initiative, Dezcallar said
that the period of time in which this initiative was in
development should have been sufficient to allow for a
minimum of political confidence and trust in Spain and Turkey
to manage the AoC properly. Dezcallar repeated the GOS
request that the U.S. fulfill its commitment in the shortest
possible term. The Charge acknowledged GOS concerns,
reiterated our intent to fulfill the commitment, and
undertook to pursue the issue while in Washington later this
month.
AGUIRRE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
USUN FOR LAURIE SHESTACK
EUR/FO FOR FARAH PANDITH
IO/UNP FOR ANNELIESE REINEMEYER
EUR/PGI (COOK, ELDRIDGE, WEINSTEIN, KAMGAR)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM KISL UN SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH POLDIR REQUESTS FULFILLMENT OF AOC
COMMITMENT
REF: A. MADRID 52
B. STATE 4482
C. 2007 STATE 171224
D. 2007 MADRID 2295
E. 2007 MADRID 2046
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) During a February 13 meeting on an unrelated topic,
Spanish Political Director Rafael Dezcallar told the Charge
that he felt obliged to again state Spain's great
disappointment over the USG's inability to fulfill its
commitment to the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) and lack of
high-level participation at the First Forum in Madrid in
January (refs A-C). He noted that Spain had contributed to
the BMENA/MEPI Foundation for the Future almost three years
ago under the understanding and gentleman,s agreement that
the U.S. would be able in some way to support the Alliance of
Civilizations. He said that U.S. inability to keep its word
two years later had left a bad taste within the GOS, adding
that the Spanish have always perceived the U.S. to be
"straight shooters," but not in this case. He said that the
First Forum in Madrid was a largely successful event and that
the Alliance had certain possibilities to make progress on
issues of great concern to the U.S. He said that the AoC was
the most high-profile international effort to address these
concerns, and the U.S. should want to be a part of it.
Noting U.S. concerns about the initiative, Dezcallar said
that the period of time in which this initiative was in
development should have been sufficient to allow for a
minimum of political confidence and trust in Spain and Turkey
to manage the AoC properly. Dezcallar repeated the GOS
request that the U.S. fulfill its commitment in the shortest
possible term. The Charge acknowledged GOS concerns,
reiterated our intent to fulfill the commitment, and
undertook to pursue the issue while in Washington later this
month.
AGUIRRE