Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
86MADRID4272
1986-04-11 17:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:
SPAIN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM LIBYA IN
how-toO 111714Z APR 86 FM AMEMBASSY MADRID TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7698 NATO COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE INFO EUROPEAN POLADS COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY ALGIERS AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY RABAT AMEMBASSY TUNIS
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 04272
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MARR SP LY
SUBJECT: SPAIN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM LIBYA IN
- RESPONSE TO QADHAFI'S THREATS
REF: A) MADRID 3838, B) MADRID 3703
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 04272
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MARR SP LY
SUBJECT: SPAIN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM LIBYA IN
- RESPONSE TO QADHAFI'S THREATS
REF: A) MADRID 3838, B) MADRID 3703
1. (U) THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED APRIL 10 THAT
IT IS "RECALLING" ITS AMBASSADOR TO TRIPOLI FOLLOWING
QADHAFI'S RENEWED THREAT THE DAY BEFORE TO ATTACK U.S.
FACILITIES IN SPAIN.
2. (C) THE MFA DESK OFFICER FOR LIBYA, JOSE MARIA
VALDEMORO, TELLS US THAT AMB. PEIDRO WAS IN FACT
ALREADY HERE ON VACATION WHEN THE DECISION TO RECALL
HIM WAS TAKEN. MFA WILL RETAIN HIM "A FEW EXTRA
DAYS" TO DRIVE HOME ITS MESSAGE. NO DECISION HAS
BEEN TAKEN ON WHEN HE MAY RETURN TO LIBYA. IN THE
ABSENCE OF LIBYAN CHARGE NAKAA, THE MINISTRY
CONVOKED THE PEOPLES' BUREAU'S NUMBER TWO ON APRIL
9 TO RECEIVE A PROTEST. IN REJECTING QADHAFI'S
THREATS, MFA NOTED THAT U.S. FACILITIES IN SPAIN ARE
GOVERNED BY A BILATERAL ACCORD WHICH WOULD PREVENT
THEIR USE AGAINST LIBYA. THE LIBYAN DIPLOMAT RESPONDED
THAT HIS COUNTRY HAS EXPERIENCE OF U.S. BASES FROM
KING IDRIS' DAYS; THE U.S. DID NOT ASK PERMISSION
FOR PROHIBITED MISSIONS THEN AND WOULD NOT DO SO IN
THE CASE OF SPAIN. THE PEOPLES' BUREAU PRESS
SPOKESMAN HAS TRIED TO DOWNPLAY QADHAFI'S THREATS,
INSISTING THAT THEY ARE DIRECTED AGAINST AMERICAN
BASES AND NOT SPANIARDS. THIS LINE HAS NOT PROVED
CONVINCING, HOWEVER, SINCE REPORTERS HAVE NOTED
THAT GOS FORCES SHARE THE BASES USED BY THE UNITED STATES.
-
3. (C) COMMENT. THE TIMING OF QADHAFI'S RENEWED
THREAT WAS SOMETHING OF A PERSONAL EMBARRASSMENT FOR
FOREIGN MINISTER ORDONEZ. THE LATTER HAD APPEARED IN
CTFGRESS THAT SAME DAY TO ANSWER AN INTERPELLATION
ABOUT THE LIBYAN MENACE TO SPAIN. ORDONEZ REPORTED
THAT THE LIBYAN CHARGE HAD EXPRESSED REGRET OVER AN
EARLIER QADHAFI THREAT, WHICH THE CHARGE ALLEGED HAD BEEN
DISTORTED, OVERPLAYED AND TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
THIS EPISODE HAS AGAIN DRIVEN HOME TO THE SPANISH
THAT QADHAFI IS MERCURIAL AND HIS GOVERNMENT'S
ASSURANCES ARE UNRELIABLE. THAT IS NOT TO SAY,
HOWEVER, THAT THE SPANISH HAVE CONCLUDED THE ONLY
WAY TO DEAL WITH QADHAFI IS TO CONFRONT HIM. THE
PREVAILING ATTITUDE STILL SEEMS TO BE THAT IT IS
BEST NOT TO ATTRACT QADHAFI'S ANGER.
ENDERS
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MARR SP LY
SUBJECT: SPAIN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM LIBYA IN
- RESPONSE TO QADHAFI'S THREATS
REF: A) MADRID 3838, B) MADRID 3703
1. (U) THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED APRIL 10 THAT
IT IS "RECALLING" ITS AMBASSADOR TO TRIPOLI FOLLOWING
QADHAFI'S RENEWED THREAT THE DAY BEFORE TO ATTACK U.S.
FACILITIES IN SPAIN.
2. (C) THE MFA DESK OFFICER FOR LIBYA, JOSE MARIA
VALDEMORO, TELLS US THAT AMB. PEIDRO WAS IN FACT
ALREADY HERE ON VACATION WHEN THE DECISION TO RECALL
HIM WAS TAKEN. MFA WILL RETAIN HIM "A FEW EXTRA
DAYS" TO DRIVE HOME ITS MESSAGE. NO DECISION HAS
BEEN TAKEN ON WHEN HE MAY RETURN TO LIBYA. IN THE
ABSENCE OF LIBYAN CHARGE NAKAA, THE MINISTRY
CONVOKED THE PEOPLES' BUREAU'S NUMBER TWO ON APRIL
9 TO RECEIVE A PROTEST. IN REJECTING QADHAFI'S
THREATS, MFA NOTED THAT U.S. FACILITIES IN SPAIN ARE
GOVERNED BY A BILATERAL ACCORD WHICH WOULD PREVENT
THEIR USE AGAINST LIBYA. THE LIBYAN DIPLOMAT RESPONDED
THAT HIS COUNTRY HAS EXPERIENCE OF U.S. BASES FROM
KING IDRIS' DAYS; THE U.S. DID NOT ASK PERMISSION
FOR PROHIBITED MISSIONS THEN AND WOULD NOT DO SO IN
THE CASE OF SPAIN. THE PEOPLES' BUREAU PRESS
SPOKESMAN HAS TRIED TO DOWNPLAY QADHAFI'S THREATS,
INSISTING THAT THEY ARE DIRECTED AGAINST AMERICAN
BASES AND NOT SPANIARDS. THIS LINE HAS NOT PROVED
CONVINCING, HOWEVER, SINCE REPORTERS HAVE NOTED
THAT GOS FORCES SHARE THE BASES USED BY THE UNITED STATES.
-
3. (C) COMMENT. THE TIMING OF QADHAFI'S RENEWED
THREAT WAS SOMETHING OF A PERSONAL EMBARRASSMENT FOR
FOREIGN MINISTER ORDONEZ. THE LATTER HAD APPEARED IN
CTFGRESS THAT SAME DAY TO ANSWER AN INTERPELLATION
ABOUT THE LIBYAN MENACE TO SPAIN. ORDONEZ REPORTED
THAT THE LIBYAN CHARGE HAD EXPRESSED REGRET OVER AN
EARLIER QADHAFI THREAT, WHICH THE CHARGE ALLEGED HAD BEEN
DISTORTED, OVERPLAYED AND TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
THIS EPISODE HAS AGAIN DRIVEN HOME TO THE SPANISH
THAT QADHAFI IS MERCURIAL AND HIS GOVERNMENT'S
ASSURANCES ARE UNRELIABLE. THAT IS NOT TO SAY,
HOWEVER, THAT THE SPANISH HAVE CONCLUDED THE ONLY
WAY TO DEAL WITH QADHAFI IS TO CONFRONT HIM. THE
PREVAILING ATTITUDE STILL SEEMS TO BE THAT IT IS
BEST NOT TO ATTRACT QADHAFI'S ANGER.
ENDERS