Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Search

 

Cablegate: Deputy Secretary's Meeting with Foreign Minister

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MADRID 001324

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2015
TAGS: PREL SP
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
MORATINOS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Bob Manzanares; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

XXXXXXXXXXXX
========================
U.S.-SPAIN RELATIONS
========================

6. (C) Moratinos said he looked forward to his mid-April
visit to Washington, the first of several Spanish ministerial
visits intended to help reinvigorate the bilateral
relationship, including the visits of the Interior and
Justice ministers to discuss counterterrorism cooperation.
Moratinos said it was important, especially for Spain, that
his visit to Washington convey the sense that U.S.-Spanish
relations are moving in the right direction. "We can't
fabricate a honeymoon, but we must show that there are areas
where we can work together." He said Minister of Defense
Jose Bono had enjoyed a productive meeting with Secretary
Rumsfeld on the margins of the Nice ministerial and
anticipated a useful exchange during his early May visit to
Washington. Moratinos observed that several military
contracts involving U.S. companies were in play.

7. (C) Moratinos recognized the difficulties in bilateral
relations over the last year, but asserted that Zapatero's
Socialist government was in a better position to argue for
strong relations with the USG because the Socialists enjoyed
greater credibility with traditionally anti-American elements
in Spanish society and could bring them along. He suggested
that the absence of close cultural ties between Spain and the
U.S. was a factor in the Spanish public's skepticism towards
the U.S. and urged increased attention by both countries to
cultural exchanges. On economic issues, Moratinos said U.S.
and Spanish officials had recently worked together to resolve
a trade dispute involving rice and an illegal sale to Iran by
a Spanish company. He said Spain was worried about declining
U.S. investment in Spain and hoped to be able to reverse this
trend.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

8. (C) Moratinos praised the visit of President Bush to
Europe in February, which he said clearly demonstrated the
USG's willingness to work with the EU as a whole.

9. (C) The Deputy Secretary said he understood that the GOS
was dealing with challenging issues. He expressed the USG's
satisfaction with the good level of counterterrorism
cooperation between Spain and the USG and said he hoped the
upcoming visits of the Interior and Justice ministers would
further strengthen our security relationship. He thanked
Spain for its leadership of a PRT in western Afghanistan and
participation in FSB Herat. The Deputy Secretary noted that
Afghanistan would require further assistance as the September
parliamentary elections approached.

=============================
XXXXXXXXXXXX

MANZANARES

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.