Cablegate: Spain: Response to Demarche On Ifc Private

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS MADRID 003696

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN EAID PREL ECON EINV SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON IFC PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

REF: STATE 186398

We delivered reftel talking points August 30 to the Spanish
Agency for International Development and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Econoff received the official GOS response
September 23 from Technical Advisor to the Secretary of State
for International Cooperation Manuel Alhama Orenes. Alhama
said that colleagues working on Middle Eastern issues
expressed great interest in the proposed International
Finance Corporation (IFC) Small and Medium Enterprise
facility. He also noted that colleagues covering Iraq
mentioned the urgent need for additional technical assistance
for reconstruction projects to succeed in Iraq. He promised
that his agency would study the IFC proposal further, but
stated that a decision could not be made at this time. He
also mentioned the difficulty of funding new projects at the
end of the 2004 budget cycle. Econoff questioned whether
funds might be made available in 2005 considering that
Spanish aid budgets will be increased. Alhama answered that
this might be a possibility, depending on the priorities in
the new four year aid plan that will be announced on December
1. Embassy will continue to engage GOS on supporting the IFC
facility.
MANZANARES

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