Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 5946 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Yemen Jordan

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 86 88 89 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1986/05
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10
2002/02 2002/03 2002/11 2002/12
2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AR AJ ASEC AE AEMR AF AMGT APER AG AM AS AU AORC AGMT AFIN ABUD ATRN AL APECO ACOA AO AX AMED ADCO AODE AFFAIRS AC ASIG ABLD AA AFU ASUP AROC ATFN AVERY APCS AER ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AEC ASEAN AID
BU BM BEXP BR BA BRUSSELS BL BK BO BILAT BTIO BH BE BX BIDEN BY BG BF BB BC BBSR BMGT BTIU
CH CU CJAN CMGT CVIS CO CA CE COUNTER CASC CBW CG CLINTON CI CS CDG CIA CACM CDB CD CV CF CN CAN CIS CM CONDOLEEZZA COE CR CY CTM COUNTRY CLEARANCE CPAS CWC CT CKGR CB CACS COM CJUS CARSON CL CODEL COUNTERTERRORISM
DJ DA DEAX DR DHS DOE DEA DK DISENGAGEMENT DS DTRA DOD
EINV ECON ENRG EPET ETRD EAGR ELAB EUN EFIN EU EAID EIND ETTC EG ECPS EWWT ES EXTERNAL EMIN ECIP EINDETRD EN EAIR EZ ER ET EUC EI ELTN EREL ECIN EFIS EINT EC ETC ECONEFIN ENVR ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ECA ELN EFTA ENIV EINVETC EINN ENGR EUR ESA ENERG EK ENGY ETRO ETRDEINVTINTCS ESENV ENVI ETRDECONWTOCS ECONCS ENNP ELECTIONS ECUN EINVEFIN
FR FJ FINR FAO FTAA FREEDOM FI FARC FBI FMLN
GM GZ GG GTMO GOI GV GH GA GE GT GR GTIP GCC GAZA GANGS GY
HO HURI HILLARY HA HU HR HUMAN HYMPSK HK HSTC
IR IS IZ IN IT INRB IAEA ID IO IV ICTY IQ ICAO INTERPOL IPR IRAJ INRA INRO IC IIP ILC ITPHUM IWC ISRAELI IRAQI ICRC IMO IF IEFIN INTELSAT IL IA IBRD IMF INR IRC ITRA IACI ICJ ITALY ITALIAN
JAMES JA JO JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JM JUS
KCRM KCOR KDEM KPAO KG KTIP KICC KNNP KV KBCT KPAL KTFN KU KSPR KJUS KHLS KTIA KWBG KMDR KGHG KN KUNR KS KIRF KISL KFRD KIPR KAWC KPWR KCIP KSUM KWAC KMIG KOLY KZ KAWK KSEC KIFR KDRG KDEMAF KFIN KGIC KOMC KGCC KPIN KBIO KHIV KSCA KE KPKO KNUC KPLS KIRC KACT KRAD KCOM KMCA KHDP KFLO KVPR KDEV KWMN KMPI KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTLA KCFC KPRP KCFE KOCI KTDB KMRS KLIG KGIT KSTC KPAK KNEI KSEP KPOA KFLU KNUP KNNPMNUC KO KTER KHUM KRFD KBTR KDDG KWWMN KSAF KBTS KPRV KNPP KNAR KWMM KERG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTBT KCRS KRVC KSTH KREL KNSD KTEX KPAI KHSA KOMS KVIR KR
LY LG LE LH LU LI LO LOG LT LAB
MCAP MO MNUC MARR MASS MPOS MOPS MAR MD MX MZ MY MEPP MA MR ML MIL MTCRE MOPPS MTCR MAPP MU MG MASC MCC MK MTRE MP MDC MEPI MRCRE MI MT MQADHAFI MAPS MUCN MASSMNUC MERCOSUR MC MV
NATO NI NZ NG NU NO NL NIPP NPT NRR NE NS NAR NPG NK NSG NA NT NASA NGO NP NSF NATIONAL
OVIP OTRA OPRC OSCI OTR OVP OREP ODIP OPDC OIIP OFFICIALS OSAC OAS OEXC OFDP OECD OSCE OPIC OPCW OIE OIC
PINR PGOV PBTS PREL PTER PE PO PROP PHUM PBIO PARM PECON PINS PM PHSA PK PREF PL PAK PINT POGOV PINL POL PSOE PKFK PGOF PA PUNE PARMS PORG PMIL PTERE PF PALESTINIAN PY PGGV PNR POV PAO PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PRGOV PNAT PROV PEL PINF PGOVE POLINT PRL PRAM PMAR PGOVLO PHUMBA PLN PHUS PHUMPREL PG PGOC POLITICS PEPR PSI PU POLITICAL PARTIES
QA
RS RU RO RW REGION RP RIGHTS RICE ROBERT RF RFE
SP SOCI STEINBERG SN SA SY SNAR SMIG SO SENV SCUL SR SF SG SW SU SL SZ SHUM SYR ST SANC SC SAN SIPRS SK SH SI SNARCS SEVN
TI TX TS TU TW TC TERRORISM TPHY TRGY TIP TBIO TSPA TH TR TT TO TFIN TD TSPL TZ TK TNGD TINT TRSY TP
UK UZ UNMIK UN US UG UNSC UP USEU UV UY UNGA UNO USUN UNESCO UNHRC UE UAE UNEP USTR UNHCR UNDP USAID UNCHS UNAUS UNCHC UNDC UNDESCO
VE VZ VT VTPREL VN VM
WI WTRO WTO WA WZ WMO WTRQ WHO WWARD WB WBG WEU WHA
XF XA XG XT XM XR XS XL XK XH XY XC XZ XW XD XE
YI YM YE YMCS
ZP ZR ZI ZU ZB ZF ZK ZANU ZOELLICK ZA ZO ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 08MADRID98, CODEL MARTINEZ JANUARY 10-11 VISIT TO MADRID

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MADRID98.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08MADRID98 | 2008-02-01 10:10 | 2010-12-03 12:12 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Madrid

`

    VZCZCXRO7083
    RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
    RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
    DE RUEHMD #0098/01 0321058
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 011058Z FEB 08
    FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4164
    INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
    RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0245

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 MADRID 000098

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: OREP PREL ECON EFIN ETRD ENRG EINV SP
    SUBJECT: CODEL MARTINEZ JANUARY 10-11 VISIT TO MADRID

    ¶1. (U) Summary: Codel Martinez had a busy and productive
    visit to Madrid January 10-11, 2008, meeting with the Prince
    of Asturias, Popular Party (PP) presidential candidate
    Mariano Rajoy, National Security Advisor Carles Casajuana
    (septel), former President Aznar, Foreign Minister Moratinos
    (septel), and Cuban dissidents Hector Palacios and Gisela
    Delgado. The Ambassador accompanied Senator Martinez in all
    of his meetings. Codel Martinez also attended a lunch
    organized by the American Chamber of Commerce where
    discussion focused on renewable energy and a dinner with the
    U.S.-Spain Council hosted by the Ambassador. In addition,
    Senator Martinez gave an interview to El Pais newspaper.
    Senators Grassley and Thune met with a senior official at the
    Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Trade to discuss U.S. pork
    exports. End Summary.

    Prince of Asturias
    ------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) Shortly after their arrival January 10, Senators
    Martinez, Grassley, Thune, and Craig were received by the
    Prince of Asturias at Zarzuela Palace. The Prince stressed
    the importance for Spain of maintaining excellent relations
    with the U.S. and his commitment to improving those
    relations. The Prince reminisced happily about his travels
    in the U.S. and expressed a great fondness for the country.
    He had clearly been following the U.S. Presidential primaries
    and sought the Senators' views on the process.

    Mariano Rajoy
    -------------

    ¶3. (SBU) The delegation met at PP headquarters with
    presidential candidate Mariano Rajoy. Rajoy noted that with
    less than two months to go before the Spanish general
    elections, the polls showed him in a tie with Zapatero and
    his Spanish Socialist Workers, Party (PSOE). Rajoy said his
    campaign would focus on the economy, nationalism, and
    terrorism. On the economy, he said polls showed it to be the
    number one issue. Rajoy said Zapatero had lived for four
    years off the inheritance of the previous PP,s government's
    good economic management. Rajoy said the macroeconomic
    indicators were still good, but people were beginning to feel
    the pinch of inflation running above the EU average. He also
    said interest rates were rising, a serious worry in a nation
    of 44 million with eight million mortgages. Rajoy said
    Zapatero had not defended Spain, the oldest national identity
    in Europe, from the demands of radical regional groups with
    nationalistic aspirations. On terrorism, Rajoy contrasted PP
    firmness with Zapatero,s attempt to negotiate with ETA.

    ¶4. (SBU) In foreign policy, Rajoy said he would defend
    democracy, freedom, human rights, and Western values. He
    said Spain (and Europe) needed the best possible relationship
    with the U.S. Rajoy noted Spain had once been a reliable
    ally of the U.S. He promised that as President he would
    speak his mind and avoid surprises. Rajoy said Spain should
    play a significant role in Latin America and should promote
    democracy, freedom, and human rights in the region, which was
    suffering some unacceptable leaders at the moment. He said
    the PP position regarding Venezuela was well known: populism
    was not the direction the people of Latin America were
    moving. He expressed strong disagreement with Zapatero,s
    Cuba policy and voiced concern over treatment of dissidents
    in Cuba. Rajoy noted Spain,s position on Cuba was important
    within the EU. Rajoy insisted he would fulfill Spain,s
    commitments abroad, which would be in defense of Western
    values. He said it was difficult but the public would
    understand the need for overseas engagement if the problems
    were explained to them. He said Spain would continue in
    Afghanistan, and noted the while in opposition the PP had
    supported sending troops abroad. Rajoy said the PP opposed
    Spain,s 2004 withdrawal from Iraq, which he characterized as
    a mistake, albeit one that won the PSOE votes.

    ¶5. (SBU) Although he did not indicate he would make it a
    campaign issue, Rajoy noted Spain was number two in the world
    behind the U.S. in terms of the numbers of immigrants
    received. Over ten percent of the population was of foreign
    origin, and there was a large Muslim immigrant population.
    He said immigration was beginning to cause problems, as
    ordinary Spaniards saw their access to social services
    affected (he mentioned public health was 40 percent of
    Spain,s budget). He said the PP was against illegal
    immigration and in favor of orderly migration flows. He
    condemned Zapatero,s amnesty for nearly one million illegal
    immigrants, saying it had drawn new immigrants and noted that
    migratory pressures from Africa were only increasing.

    ¶6. (SBU) Rajoy mentioned that while Minister of Interior he
    was the first European minister to visit the U.S. after the

    MADRID 00000098 002 OF 005

    9/11 attacks. He said the West needed to invest more
    resources in educating people about democratic values. He
    criticized the Zapatero government,s Alliance of
    Civilizations (AOC) effort, saying it was an electoral ploy.
    He said the left wing in Spain and elsewhere tried to use the
    popular media and entertainment figures to convince people
    that they favored peace while center right parties such as
    the PP in Spain favored war. He said this had to be
    countered through education.

    ¶7. (SBU) Asked about voter turnout, Rajoy said this was a big
    unknown. He said in 2000 the PP won an absolute majority in
    Congress. In 2004, they lost by about five percent because
    Zapatero was able to mobilize socialist voters using the Iraq
    war and the Atocha bombings. He characterized 2004 as a vote
    against the PP rather than for the PSOE. Rajoy predicted the
    anti-PP vote would not be there this year. He said the PP
    base was very loyal and would vote, so the question was many
    socialist actually turned out. He noted in 2004 polls should
    him eight points ahead the day of the Atocha bombings, and he
    lost by five points the following Sunday. Rajoy noted that
    the polls in the 2007 municipal elections predicted PP
    defeat. In fact, the PP won. He said turnout and loyalty
    were key. He claimed polls showed 85 percent of PP voters
    were loyal but only 72 percent of PSOE voters. He said his
    strategy was to reach out to the center and the opposition
    rather than to his base. He said this was to avoid
    mobilizing the PSOE base and increasing their turnout. Rajoy
    mentioned that convincing the media which supported the PP to
    avoid antagonizing the left was a challenge. Noting he had
    been campaign manager both times, he noted Aznar,s 1996
    campaign was aggressive whereas in the even more successful
    2000 campaign the PP had behaved like nuns. Rajoy said the
    costs of campaigning in Spain were negligible compared to the
    U.S. He said in Spain, as opposed to the U.S., it was
    important not to let people know how much money you had
    raised since voters would turn against the candidate with the
    most money. He noted the parties were prohibited from buying
    advertising until the last two weeks, and so they had to earn
    media coverage in the meantime and were heavily focused on
    the internet, which he said was the only way to reach young
    voters. He said the party was commissioning two polls a
    month and would move to daily polling in the last two weeks
    (Rajoy joked that after long and intensive study of the
    science of polling he had concluded he knew nothing about
    polls). He said most of the PP money would be spent on radio
    and billboard advertising. He noted he was on the trail four
    out of every seven days. Rajoy said the debates, scheduled
    for February 25 and March 3, could be decisive since they
    came so late in the process. He mentioned that the PP was
    also hitting family issues, noting the PSOE favored gay
    marriage. Rajoy said there were 1.5 million absentee voters,
    a number he said was significant in terms of the Spanish
    electorate. He recalled that in a recent election the PP had
    lost a seat in Galicia because Hugo Chavez had sequestered
    the mail from Venezuela, which Rajoy was sure contained a
    heavy PP vote since Spaniards there were unhappy with the
    PSOE,s failure to stand up to Chavez. Rajoy mentioned the
    PP had an office in Washington and their representative there
    was part of the party,s governing committee. He also sought
    the Senators, views on the U.S. Presidential campaign.

    Jose Maria Aznar
    ----------------

    ¶8. (SBU) On January 11 CODEL Martinez held a wide-ranging
    discussion with former Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar
    that touched on the electoral outlook in Spain and the U.S.,
    as well as Aznar,s strong opinions on Kosovo, Turkey, and
    the Alliance of Civilizations. President Aznar told the
    CODEL that he held real reservations about Kosovo's
    independence, concerns he mentioned he had conveyed to
    Senator Lieberman the night before. Aznar said he believed
    international acceptance of a unilateral declaration of
    independence (UDI) would lead to three undesirable results:
    the de facto acceptance of changed borders in Europe as a
    consequence of "blackmail;" the establishment of a principle
    of self-determination that would have ramifications in Spain,
    Italy, Turkey, Iraq, and other states with minority
    populations; and the rise of nationalism on the European
    continent. Aznar said he feared the explosive mixture of
    nationalism and changing borders and would prefer Kosovo
    remain a protectorate for the next century rather than have a
    UDI be accepted by much of the international community.

    ¶9. (SBU) Aznar opined that Turkey's EU bid was impossible at
    present and would continue to be so for perhaps the next 15
    years. The former president said that while Europe should
    certainly look to forge and maintain a special relationship
    with Turkey, it was hard for him to imagine a Muslim-majority
    country fitting into a Europe of Christian roots. He said

    MADRID 00000098 003 OF 005

    that EU and U.S. leaders needed to consider just what the
    Turkey factor would mean to Europe with the addition of 100
    million Muslims.

    ¶10. (SBU) Aznar voiced skepticism regarding the AOC. He said
    during his term in office he visited Iran and worked closely
    with former Iranian President Khatemi to establish a dialogue
    of civilizations, but that he could not see the desirability
    or feasibility of forming an alliance with figures such as
    Supreme Leader Khamenei. Aznar said that the AOC was not in
    the best interests of the West. He mentioned that he
    maintains good relations with Turkish President Erdogan and
    claimed to have it on good authority that Erdogan was taking
    an active role in Zapatero,s AOC not because he necessarily
    believed in it, but because he hoped it would help Turkey,s
    EU bid.

    ¶11. (SBU) Aznar concluded the meeting with a discussion of
    the role of his think tank, the Foundation for Social
    Analysis and Studies (FAES). He said that FAES was set up in
    the European liberal tradition and was intended to defend the
    values of the western world and an Atlantic policy. FAES
    seeks to strengthen the U.S.-EU pillar and believes that an
    Atlantic Europe is the only possibility for the continent.

    Renewable Energy
    ----------------

    ¶12. (U) At a lunch on renewable energy hosted by the
    American Chamber of Commerce, the Senators and Spanish
    companies discussed the status of several forms of renewable
    and low-emission energy. Ambassador Aguirre and AmCham
    president Jaime Malet opened with remarks describing Spanish
    and U.S. leadership in the sector and emphasizing the amount
    of Spanish investment in renewables projects in the U.S.
    Ambassador Aguirre described the February renewable energy
    trade and investment mission post is organizing with the GOS
    to bring Spanish government officials and companies to the
    U.S. Senators Grassley and Thune discussed biofuels, which
    Senator Grassley noted were likely to shift away from the
    present emphasis on corn-based ethanol to cellulose-based
    ethanol after the next 5-10 years. Senators Grassley and
    Thune explained their states, favorable location for wind
    power (Iowa has Spanish investment in both wind farms and a
    wind turbine manufacturing plant), while Senator Martinez
    noted that the U.S., geographic variability meant that an
    identical national renewable portfolio standard for each
    state would be unfair to states such as Florida that lacked
    commercially viable quantities of wind. Senator Craig and
    Ambassador Aguirre emphasized the importance of technological
    advances in addressing energy dependence and climate change.
    Senator Craig described U.S. climate change policy, outlined
    the U.S. national energy laboratories, role in technological
    research, and reviewed issues related to nuclear and clean
    coal technology. Spanish company representatives described
    Spain,s system of incentives for electricity from renewable
    sources (Spain,s system is based on guaranteed prices, while
    U.S. incentives are mainly tax-related) and expressed
    interest in investment opportunities in the U.S. in
    electricity transmission as well as generation. Participants
    from both countries emphasized the importance of encouraging
    renewable energy as an alternative to dependence upon
    hydrocarbon imports from undemocratic suppliers.

    Cuban Dissidents
    ----------------

    ¶13. (SBU) Senators Martinez and Craig, joined by the
    Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission, met January 11 with
    Cuban dissidents Hector Palacios and his wife Gisela Delgado.
    Palacios briefed the Senators on his personal situation
    saying he had been released from jail at the petition of the
    Spanish Government in order to come to Spain to receive
    medical treatment. While appreciated Spain,s help, he did
    not agree with Spain,s policy of engagement with the Cuban
    regime or with gestures such as the 2007 Moratinos visit to
    Cuba. He said he and his wife had made public statements
    critical of Spanish policy and as a result the Spanish had
    cut his per diem allowance and moved him to a cheaper hotel.
    He said Moratinos had not seen him and instead he dealt with
    the Director General for Iberoamerica.

    ¶14. (SBU) Palacios said political control in Cuba was
    fragmenting into three or four different groups. Fidel had
    been the glue that held it together. Each group had a
    somewhat different agenda their common goal was to stay in
    power. Palacios said Cuba was ripe for change. He said the
    military would not be a major obstacle once change began
    because conscription meant that the military reflected the
    people. Also, Fidel,s policy of rotating troops regularly
    underneath their officers had had its intended effect of

    MADRID 00000098 004 OF 005

    preventing the formation of units personally loyal to their
    commanders. He said a greater problem would the large system
    of repression Fidel had created (the Ministry of Interior,
    neighborhood committees, bands of thugs who attacked and
    intimidated dissidents). There were about 200,000 people in
    this system and they were the ones who lived well and who had
    a great deal to lose. Even those within government would
    find these people a formidable obstacle if they tried to
    promote change.

    ¶15. (SBU) Palacios said U.S. assistance was not reaching the
    dissidents. He noted the irony of being jailed as an agent
    of U.S. imperialism when the actual amount of USG funding was
    minimal. He said they ran into problems doing things as
    simple as finding the small amounts of money needed to bring
    dissidents from one part of the island to another to attend
    demonstrations. He said he planned to travel to Washington
    and Miami soon and intended to raise this issue in both
    places.

    National Security Advisor Casajuana and Foreign Minister
    Moratinos

    --------------------------------------------- -----------------

    ¶16. (SBU) Senators Martinez and Craig (joined by Senator
    Lieberman) met January 11 with Carles Casajuana and discussed
    Afghanistan, Lebanon, Morocco, Cuba, and the AOC. Also on
    January 11, Codel Martinez met with FM Moratinos where the
    conversation touched on Afghanistan, the Middle East peace
    process, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, and the AOC. Both meetings
    are reported via septels.

    Agricultural Trade Issues
    -------------------------

    ¶17. (SBU) On January 11, Senators Charles Grassley and John
    Thune, together with the Deputy Chief of Mission, AgCouns and
    EconOff, met with the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and
    Trade,s Secretary of State for International Trade, Pedro
    Mejia, and Secretary General Alfredo Bonet. Senator Grassley
    emphasized the importance of science-based decisions in the
    agricultural biotechnology context. Mejia said that Spain
    had a relatively "liberal" view with respect to
    biotechnology. However, even in Spain the technology was
    controversial and faced NGO opposition, albeit not as strong
    as in some other EU member states. Senator Thune asked what
    influence Spain could exercise in Brussels on this issue.
    Bonet noted it was very difficult to get a qualified majority
    for biotech approvals in the EU Environment Council so in the
    end the Commission was taking decisions in favor of
    biotechnology. Both Mejia and Bonet noted that commodity
    price hikes might spur greater liberalization on biotech
    imports. The Secretary of State asked about the status of
    the proposed elimination of the "splash and dash" tax credit
    loophole that allows biodiesel producers in the U.S. to
    import commodities such as soybeans, add a minimal amount of
    petroleum diesel, and then reexport the biodiesel. European
    producers have complained about these imports. The Senator
    promised to get back to the Secretary of State on the status
    of the proposed elimination of the loophole. Mejia said that
    he was pessimistic about the prospects for Doha because major
    developing countries were not willing to give sufficiently in
    terms of industrial and services market access; he emphasized
    especially Spain,s interest in better services access. He
    noted also that with high agricultural commodity prices, some
    developing countries now did not see why they should give on
    industrial goods and services access. He said that the U.S.
    was still under pressure to do more on domestic agricultural
    support. Spain's senior trade representative asserted that
    the EU had made a good agricultural access offer. The
    Senators expressed support for Doha but were pessimistic
    about getting support for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)
    this year. Finally, there was a lively discussion of
    Secretary of State Mejia's February energy renewables trip to

    SIPDIS
    the U.S. Both Senators Grassley and Thune were very
    interested in the mission. (Comment: This was a very good
    substantive discussion. However, it is clear that while
    Spain will continue sometimes to vote in favor of
    biotechnology liberalization proposals, the Spaniards will
    tread warily on this issue given their own domestic
    sensitivities and other equities Spain has in the EU. It was
    interesting to hear Mejia,s strong emphasis on services as
    the future of Spain,s economy. Unfortunately, Spanish
    services companies have not been aggressive in promoting
    Doha, although this is true of many other services companies
    in Europe as well. End comment.)
    Press Coverage
    --------------

    ¶18. (U) ABC, EFE, Europa Press, and El Pais reported on the

    MADRID 00000098 005 OF 005

    visit. El Pais published January 14 an interview with
    Senator Martinez focused on the U.S. elections, the Middle
    East peace process, and the need for democratic change in
    Cuba.

    ¶19. (U) Senator Martinez cleared this cable.
    LLORENS

`