SPAIN WILL NOT SUPPORT PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000762 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/RHS (OSTERMEIER) AND DRL/MLGA (WALTERS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018 TAGS: EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SP SUBJECT: SPAIN WILL NOT SUPPORT PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS EVENT IN NY REF: STATE 70829 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (SBU) On July 8 POLOFF thanked the Spanish MFA Director of Human Rights, Fernando Fernandez-Arias Minuesa, for GOS support on the June 17 declaration regarding prisoners of conscience. Per reftel, POLOFF informed Fernandez-Arias of the U.S. intent to organize a public affairs event in New York during the week of July 21 and asked for GOS support. ¶2. (C) Fernandez-Arias explained that although the GOS understands the U.S. position regarding the Human Rights Council, the GOS and most EU member states believe that the event should occur in Geneva. He stated that neither the EU, nor the GOS in its national capacity, will co-sponsor a New York public affairs event. Given that the GOS is not a member of ECOSOC, Fernandez-Arias said that GOS attendance at a U.S. sponsored New York event would be determined at a later time. LLORENS