Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MADRID1118
2009-11-23 09:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN SUPPORTS FUTURE RESTRUCTURING OF EUFOR
how-toVZCZCXRO5564 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHMD #1118 3270902 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 230902Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1463 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 4218 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1572
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001118
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL EU BK SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS FUTURE RESTRUCTURING OF EUFOR
REF: SECSTATE 118244
Classified By: ADCM William H. Duncan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001118
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL EU BK SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS FUTURE RESTRUCTURING OF EUFOR
REF: SECSTATE 118244
Classified By: ADCM William H. Duncan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On November 18 during High Level Defense Committee
talks in Madrid, Spanish Secretary General for Defense Policy
Luis Cuesta told DASD Jim Townsend that "Spain will stay in
Althea until the end of the operation" and maintain its 15
percent troop share. When pressed about the potential
transition of the mission, Cuesta assured Townsend that Spain
would not undertake a unilateral withdrawal.
2. (C) The U.S. side had the lead on the Balkans agenda item,
and Townsend expressed U.S. concerns about potential future
conflict or escalation of ethnic tensions (reftel). Cuesta
said that for Spain, the future of the Balkans was regional
integration, and that the potential to join NATO and/or the
EU would be the greatest incentive to reform and set aside
differences. He countered Townsend,s concerns by saying
that the Dayton accords had kept Bosnia calm and stable and
disagreed, based on Chacon,s October visit to Sarajevo, that
a transition of the EU mission could "spark something."
3. (C) Cuesta echoed public statements by Defense Minister
Chacon that Operation Althea had achieved all of its military
objectives and held that remaining problems should be solved
politically. During its EU presidency, Spain will support
transforming EUFOR into a technical assistance and training
mission. Though he assured the U.S. delegation that Spain
would remain involved, Cuesta hoped that EU members would
agree on a "temporal horizon,"
looking specifically toward October 2010 elections in Bosnia.
4. (C) Comment: The latest Defense Ministry figures
indicating troop levels (dated November 13) shows 265 Spanish
forces under EUFOR plus 37 Guardia Civil. Chacon announced
September 20 on Spanish radio that Spanish troops would
return from the mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina "as soon as
possible," not later than 2010. Cuesta,s comments suggest
Spain would seek EU consensus for such a position. End
Comment.
CHACON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL EU BK SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS FUTURE RESTRUCTURING OF EUFOR
REF: SECSTATE 118244
Classified By: ADCM William H. Duncan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On November 18 during High Level Defense Committee
talks in Madrid, Spanish Secretary General for Defense Policy
Luis Cuesta told DASD Jim Townsend that "Spain will stay in
Althea until the end of the operation" and maintain its 15
percent troop share. When pressed about the potential
transition of the mission, Cuesta assured Townsend that Spain
would not undertake a unilateral withdrawal.
2. (C) The U.S. side had the lead on the Balkans agenda item,
and Townsend expressed U.S. concerns about potential future
conflict or escalation of ethnic tensions (reftel). Cuesta
said that for Spain, the future of the Balkans was regional
integration, and that the potential to join NATO and/or the
EU would be the greatest incentive to reform and set aside
differences. He countered Townsend,s concerns by saying
that the Dayton accords had kept Bosnia calm and stable and
disagreed, based on Chacon,s October visit to Sarajevo, that
a transition of the EU mission could "spark something."
3. (C) Cuesta echoed public statements by Defense Minister
Chacon that Operation Althea had achieved all of its military
objectives and held that remaining problems should be solved
politically. During its EU presidency, Spain will support
transforming EUFOR into a technical assistance and training
mission. Though he assured the U.S. delegation that Spain
would remain involved, Cuesta hoped that EU members would
agree on a "temporal horizon,"
looking specifically toward October 2010 elections in Bosnia.
4. (C) Comment: The latest Defense Ministry figures
indicating troop levels (dated November 13) shows 265 Spanish
forces under EUFOR plus 37 Guardia Civil. Chacon announced
September 20 on Spanish radio that Spanish troops would
return from the mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina "as soon as
possible," not later than 2010. Cuesta,s comments suggest
Spain would seek EU consensus for such a position. End
Comment.
CHACON