Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MADRID957
2008-09-04 07:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPANISH MFA NON-PROLIFERATION OFFICIALS COMMENT ON
how-toVZCZCXRO4943 PP RUEHLA DE RUEHMD #0957 2480710 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 040710Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5295 INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0089 RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3563
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000957
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE,ISN/RA, ISN/RESS, SCA/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: AORC ETTC PARM PREL SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH MFA NON-PROLIFERATION OFFICIALS COMMENT ON
EVE OF NSG MEETING
REF: A. SECSTATE 85948
B. MADRID 896
Classified By: DCM Arnold Chacon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000957
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE,ISN/RA, ISN/RESS, SCA/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: AORC ETTC PARM PREL SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH MFA NON-PROLIFERATION OFFICIALS COMMENT ON
EVE OF NSG MEETING
REF: A. SECSTATE 85948
B. MADRID 896
Classified By: DCM Arnold Chacon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: PolOff held an introductory meeting with
Gonzalo de Salazar, the former DCM in Warsaw who is two weeks
into his job as the MFA's new Deputy DG for Non-Proliferation
& Disarmament. His aide, Carlos Torres Vidal, Counselor for
Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, sat in on the
meeting. The meeting occurred hours before both Spaniards
were scheduled to travel to Vienna to attend the September
4-5 extraordinary plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group (NSG) on lifting the nuclear trade ban with India.
Madrid stated clearly it would go along with the consensus
view within the NSG and would not block the resolution,
despite some misgivings regarding lifting the ban.END SUMMARY
2. (C) Because Salazar is new on the job, PolOff delivered
the points in REFTEL A to Salazar as a courtesy, notifying
him that the Embassy had previously delivered these points in
mid-August to Deputy Foreign Minister Angel Lossada's office
in advance of the NSG's Extraordinary Plenary in Vienna on
August 21-22, as reported in REFTEL B. PolOff mentioned that
the US delegation to Vienna would be headed by U/S for
Political Affairs Burns.
3. (C) Salazar indicated that Madrid considers India an
important, emerging power that could play a stabilizing role
in the region. He stated that Spain will follow the consensus
within the NSG at this week's meeting and will not block
lifting the ban. Nevertheless, Salazar raised a number of
concerns regarding lifting the ban. He said Spain would take
into consideration Japan's reservations about the deal, which
he says has made Tokyo "scared" and "uneasy." He also
suggested that NSG sales to India--a non-NPT country--would
hand NPT member Iran another argument to use against those
trying to stop Tehran's enrichment program.
4. (C) Salazar also opined that lifting the ban would upset
the status quo by changing the global equilibrium and would
bring consequences that the NSG would have to face. He
assessed that if the measure were approved, it would mark a
new beginning for the NSG more so than the conclusion of a
round of negotiations. He opined that the NSG*in its next
regular Plenary Meeting*would also likely hold an in-depth
debate on its role, as would the NPT when it convenes in
early 2010. The Spaniards indicated that they would be
interested in a medium and long-term vision of the NSG from
Washington.
Aguirre
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE,ISN/RA, ISN/RESS, SCA/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: AORC ETTC PARM PREL SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH MFA NON-PROLIFERATION OFFICIALS COMMENT ON
EVE OF NSG MEETING
REF: A. SECSTATE 85948
B. MADRID 896
Classified By: DCM Arnold Chacon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: PolOff held an introductory meeting with
Gonzalo de Salazar, the former DCM in Warsaw who is two weeks
into his job as the MFA's new Deputy DG for Non-Proliferation
& Disarmament. His aide, Carlos Torres Vidal, Counselor for
Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, sat in on the
meeting. The meeting occurred hours before both Spaniards
were scheduled to travel to Vienna to attend the September
4-5 extraordinary plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group (NSG) on lifting the nuclear trade ban with India.
Madrid stated clearly it would go along with the consensus
view within the NSG and would not block the resolution,
despite some misgivings regarding lifting the ban.END SUMMARY
2. (C) Because Salazar is new on the job, PolOff delivered
the points in REFTEL A to Salazar as a courtesy, notifying
him that the Embassy had previously delivered these points in
mid-August to Deputy Foreign Minister Angel Lossada's office
in advance of the NSG's Extraordinary Plenary in Vienna on
August 21-22, as reported in REFTEL B. PolOff mentioned that
the US delegation to Vienna would be headed by U/S for
Political Affairs Burns.
3. (C) Salazar indicated that Madrid considers India an
important, emerging power that could play a stabilizing role
in the region. He stated that Spain will follow the consensus
within the NSG at this week's meeting and will not block
lifting the ban. Nevertheless, Salazar raised a number of
concerns regarding lifting the ban. He said Spain would take
into consideration Japan's reservations about the deal, which
he says has made Tokyo "scared" and "uneasy." He also
suggested that NSG sales to India--a non-NPT country--would
hand NPT member Iran another argument to use against those
trying to stop Tehran's enrichment program.
4. (C) Salazar also opined that lifting the ban would upset
the status quo by changing the global equilibrium and would
bring consequences that the NSG would have to face. He
assessed that if the measure were approved, it would mark a
new beginning for the NSG more so than the conclusion of a
round of negotiations. He opined that the NSG*in its next
regular Plenary Meeting*would also likely hold an in-depth
debate on its role, as would the NPT when it convenes in
early 2010. The Spaniards indicated that they would be
interested in a medium and long-term vision of the NSG from
Washington.
Aguirre