Cablegate: Spain to Co-Sponsor Unfcr On Non-Proliferation

VZCZCXRO8145
RR RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #1051 2771646
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031646Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5399
INFO RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3595
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0457

UNCLAS MADRID 001051

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PASS TO SALLY HORN, JULIE CONNOR, OR KATHERINE
CRITTENBERGER OF VCI OR BUZZ MENOLD OF ISN.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL UNGA SP CDG
SUBJECT: SPAIN TO CO-SPONSOR UNFCR ON NON-PROLIFERATION
COMPLIANCE

REF: A. A. SECSTATE 101817
B. B. SECSTATE 87531

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Luis Gomez Nogueira, the Chief of
Disarmament in the MFA's DG for Strategic Issues and
Terrorism, has indicated to Post that Spain, while wanting to
make known several observations and suggestions about the
draft text, would co-sponsor the reftel resolution. END
SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) Gomez said Spain had no objection in principle to
the draft as it exists, but the GOS nevertheless has several
suggestions for the USG to consider. He claimed that the
wording of current US draft in 2008 had been based on the
original draft resolution submitted in 2005 (A/C.1/60/L.1,
dated October 5, 2005) rather than the revised version
(A/C.1/60/L.1/Rev.1, dated October 27, 2005) which Spain
co-sponsored and had actually been passed by 163-0-10, as
described in Reftels. Gomez suggested it made sense for the
current US draft to be based on the version that actually
passed and encouraged the USG to do so.

3. (SBU) Gomez offered several small changes to the current
text that he said were part of the final 2005 version and
should be represented in the new 2008 resolution. In the
third paragraph of the preamble, he suggested adding the word
"peace" to the end of the sentence, so that it reads
"...regional and global peace, security, and stability." In
paragraph 5 of the Resolution, he recommended adding the
wording "with those obligations" so that it reads, "... back
into compliance with those obligations." As a last item,
Gomez indicated that the GOS would prefer to continue
including the final paragraph of the 2005 version as last
paragraph of the current resolution. That paragraph would
read: "7. Decides to be remain seized of the matter."

4. (SBU) Comment: While Gomez acknowledged to PolOff by phone
that the suggestions and word changes were not important, the
GOS did make a point of including them in the fax that
conveyed GOS intent to co-sponsor the Resolution. Embassy
Madrid recommends that the GOS be given advance notice if the
USG decides not to include the revisions in the final draft.
CHACON

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