SPAIN AGREES ON NEED FOR FIFTH ROUND OF WESTERN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000905

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE, IO/UNP, NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2018
TAGS: PREL UNSC PBTS MO WI SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN AGREES ON NEED FOR FIFTH ROUND OF WESTERN
SAHARA TALKS

REF: A. STATE 88765

B. MADRID 485

Classified By: DCM Arnold Chacon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) According to MFA Deputy Director General for North
Africa Manuel Gomez-Acebo, Spain agrees that it is essential
to maintain the Western Sahara negotiating process and that a
fifth round of talks should be held at the earliest
opportunity. In response to our points that Western Sahara
Envoy Van Walsum has been an appropriately neutral negotiator
and that, given his understanding of the dynamics and the
possible resolutions, he should be retained, Gomez-Acebo
agreed in principle, but pointed out that Spain had
previously warned that Van Walsum's report had the potential
to either render him personally ineffective or derail the
process. Furthermore, the SYG does not have any strong ties
to Van Walsum since he didn't appoint him.


2. (C) When pressed as to whether or not Spain would
actively support Van Walsum's contract renewal, Gomez-Acebo
demurred and emphasized that the overall process was the
priority. He said that Spain supported Van Walsum, but not
at the expense of a fifth round. With regard to the
importance of not allowing one party to the negotiations to
veto Van Walsum's mandate or the SYG's choice of an envoy,
Gomez-Acebo again stressed that Spain places primary
importance on the process. If Polisario or Algeria will not
attend talks facilitated by him, then alternatives must be
explored. In the interest of finding a compromise, Spain
believes that it might be possible to work out an arrangement
for another UN representative, for example, Lynn Pascoe, to
accompany Van Walsum and convince all the parties to
participate in the 5th round.



Aguirre