(S/NF) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON SPAIN'S EU

S E C R E T STATE 120011 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL SP SUBJECT: (S/NF) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON SPAIN'S EU PRESIDENCY (C-RE9-02230) REF: A. MADRID 000099 ¶B. MADRID 000730 Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE INTERESTED IN SPAIN'S JANUARY-JUNE 2010 EU PRESIDENCY AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ON HOW SPAIN IS PREPARING TO TAKE ON THE EU PRESIDENCY. AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, WE WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE INFORMATION ON HOW MADRID WOULD ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS AND EUROPE'S ABILITY TO BE A STRONGER GLOBAL ACTOR. PLEASE FIND BELOW SOME QUESTIONS TO GUIDE REPORTING. ¶A. (C) HOW DOES MADRID ASSESS ITS EU PRESIDENCY WILL AFFECT ITS RELATIONS WITH THE US? ¶B. (S/NF) HOW PREPARED IS MADRID TO IMPLEMENT THE LISBON TREATY DURING ITS PRESIDENCY? WHAT PLANS DOES MADRID HAVE IN PLACE FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION? ¶C. (S/NF) WHAT SPECIFIC PLANS, IF ANY, DOES MADRID HAVE FOR RELATIONS WITH CHINA, CUBA, IRAN, RUSSIA, OR THE UNION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN? ¶D. (S/NF) WHAT ARE SPAIN'S PLANS FOR ADDRESSING TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION PROCESS? ¶E. (S/NF) HOW IS SPAIN PLANNING TO HANDLE EU RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO GIVEN ITS NON-RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO? ¶F. (S/NF) WHAT ARE MADRID'S PLANS FOR THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PORTION OF ITS EU PRESIDENCY AGENDA? ¶G. (S/NF) WHICH OF MADRID'S STATED PLANNED SUMMITS ARE OF HIGHEST PRIORITY? ¶H. (S/NF) HOW CLOSELY IS MADRID WORKING WITH SWEDEN AND BELGIUM TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN THEIR 18-MONTH EU PRESIDENCY TERM? IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, ARE THE THREE COUNTRIES COORDINATING THEIR ACTIVITIES? ¶I. (C) HOW DO FELLOW EU MEMBER STATES - ESPECIALLY FRANCE AND GERMANY - VIEW SPAIN'S EU OBJECTIVES? ¶J. (C/NF) HOW DOES THE UK VIEW SPAIN'S EU OBJECTIVES? ¶K. (S/NF) WHAT IS SPANISH PRIME MINISTER ZAPATERO HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THE EU PRESIDENCY? WHAT ROLE IS ZAPATERO PERSONALLY TAKING IN SHAPING SPAIN'S EU PRESIDENCY PRIORITIES? ¶L. (S/NF) WHAT DIFFERENCES, IF ANY, ARE THERE BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) REGARDING THE AGENDA FOR THE EU PRESIDENCY? ¶M. (S/NF) HOW HAS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AFFECTED MADRID'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES NEEDED FOR THE EU PRESIDENCY, IF AT ALL? TO WHAT EXTENT, IF ANY, IS MADRID LIKELY TO CUT BACK ON ITS EU PRIORITIES BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE AND RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS? ¶N. (S/NF) WHO ARE THE KEY PLAYERS SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPING SPANISH FOREIGN POLICY REGARDING THE EU PRESIDENCY AND WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND BUREAUCRATIC CHALLENGES THAT THESE KEY PLAYERS FACE? WHAT ARE THEIR INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH ZAPATERO? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-02230 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON