Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MADRID176
2008-02-15 17:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN ON RUSSIA-ABKHAZIA, KOSOVO PRECEDENT
how-toVZCZCXRO9842 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHMD #0176 0461746 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 151746Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4279 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 3303
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000176
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL SP GG RU YI
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON RUSSIA-ABKHAZIA, KOSOVO PRECEDENT
REF: STATE 14840
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) DCM delivered reftel demarche to Spanish Director
General for North AMERICA and Europe Pepe Pons on February
15, underscoring the distinctions between Kosovo and
Abkhazia. Pons told DCM that he had just met with the
Russian Ambassador, who he said had gone out of his way to
say that Russia did not intend to recognize Abkhazia;
therefore, the Spanish were not overly concerned. Pons had
called the Russian Ambassador in to explain the February 14
comments of President Putin in which he said, "in Spain the
people do not want to live under a single state." Ambassador
Kuznetsov apparently apologized for the comments, and he
later made a statement to Spanish wire service Europe Press
that "I want to emphasize that there is no reason to
interpret (Putin's) declarations as an interference in
internal Spanish affairs." In any case, the Spanish do not
view Kosovo as a precedent for other European ethnic
conflicts. Vice President Fernandez de la Vega addressed the
"Kosovo precedent" at a February 15 press conference saying
that Spain is opposed to the unilateral declaration of
independence, adding that Kosovo "has nothing to do with
Spain...the situation in Kosovo is not in any way comparable
to any situation in Spain."
AGUIRRE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL SP GG RU YI
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON RUSSIA-ABKHAZIA, KOSOVO PRECEDENT
REF: STATE 14840
Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) DCM delivered reftel demarche to Spanish Director
General for North AMERICA and Europe Pepe Pons on February
15, underscoring the distinctions between Kosovo and
Abkhazia. Pons told DCM that he had just met with the
Russian Ambassador, who he said had gone out of his way to
say that Russia did not intend to recognize Abkhazia;
therefore, the Spanish were not overly concerned. Pons had
called the Russian Ambassador in to explain the February 14
comments of President Putin in which he said, "in Spain the
people do not want to live under a single state." Ambassador
Kuznetsov apparently apologized for the comments, and he
later made a statement to Spanish wire service Europe Press
that "I want to emphasize that there is no reason to
interpret (Putin's) declarations as an interference in
internal Spanish affairs." In any case, the Spanish do not
view Kosovo as a precedent for other European ethnic
conflicts. Vice President Fernandez de la Vega addressed the
"Kosovo precedent" at a February 15 press conference saying
that Spain is opposed to the unilateral declaration of
independence, adding that Kosovo "has nothing to do with
Spain...the situation in Kosovo is not in any way comparable
to any situation in Spain."
AGUIRRE