Cablegate: Spain On Unga Development Issues

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

081358Z Sep 05

UNCLAS MADRID 003177

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECIN PREL SP UNGA
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON UNGA DEVELOPMENT ISSUES

REF: A. SECSTATE 160880

B. SECSTATE 162146

1. DCM passed reftel points September 2 to MFA Secretary of
State for International Assistance Leire Pajin, outlining
U.S. concerns about the UNGA High Level Event (HLE) Outcome
Document and the six-country (including Spain) draft
"Declaration on Innovative Sources of Financing for
Development." Manuel Alhama, a member of Paijin's immediate
staff, briefed ESTHOFF September 8 on Spain's reaction to our
points.

2. Alhama said Spain's overarching development-related goal
at the UNGA was to foster greater development assistance
flows from rich countries to poor ones. Spain hopes both the
HLE Outcome Document and the Declaration help advance this
policy goal. Spain remains flexible regarding altering the
text of the HLE Outcome Document as long as such changes do
not prejudice the GOS' policy goals.

3. Regarding specific aspects of the Outcome Document and
Declaration, Spain:

-- strongly supports the call (including targets and
timetables) for all developed countries to reach an Official
Development Assistance (ODA) level of 0.7 percent of GNP by
2015;

-- opposes any tax on airline tickets to help finance ODA;

-- remains undecided about the UK's proposed International
Finance Facility (IFF), but believes the concept deserves
further study; and,

-- believes further action is required to help reduce
remittance transaction costs.

4. COMMENT: Although U.S. and Spanish views on ODA-related
issues clearly do not coincide, we would note that Spain has
generally been a supporter of U.S. positions on many UN
reform issues, and has been a particularly strong ally in
defeating the G-4 framework resolution and supporting the
U.S. proposals for a UN Human Rights Council and the
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
AGUIRRE

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