Viewing cable 05MADRID1324, DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER

Viewing cable 05MADRID1324, DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER

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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
05MADRID1324	2005-04-06 12:12	2010-12-07 12:12	CONFIDENTIAL	Embassy Madrid

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) 
 
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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. 
 
¶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. 
 
============================= 
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MANZANARES