Viewing cable 86MADRID5480, QADHAFI RETALIATES AGAINST SPANISH EXPULSIONS

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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
86MADRID5480	1986-05-12 17:05	2010-11-28 18:06	SECRET	Embassy Madrid

O 121758Z MAY 86
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8202
EC COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
AMEMBASSY RABAT
AMEMBASSY TUNIS

S E C R E T MADRID 05480 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL:  OADR 
TAGS: PTER PINR PREL SP LY
SUBJECT:  QADHAFI RETALIATES AGAINST SPANISH EXPULSIONS 
 
REF:  A) MADRID 5426, B) MADRID 5425, C) MADRID 5418 
 
¶1.  (C) LIBYA MAY 12 RESPONDED TO FRIDAY'S EXPULSION 

OF ITS CONSUL GENERAL, CHARGED WITH PASSING FUNDS TO 
A SPANISH ARMY COLONEL ON THE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC RIGHT, 
BY PNG'ING THE SPANISH COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL 
COUNSELORS IN TRIPOLI.  MFA'S SUBDIRECTOR GENERAL FOR 
NORTH AFRICA TELLS US THAT THE GOS WILL NOT RETALIATE 
SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE EXPULSIONS; AS INVESTIGATIONS 
CONTINUE INTO THE LIBYAN ACTIVITIES HERE, HOWEVER, 
MORE EXPULSIONS ARE QUITE POSSIBLE. 
 
¶2.  (U) AFTER THIS MESSAGE WAS DRAFTED, WE RECEIVED 
A WIRE SERVICE REPORT QUOTING INTERIOR MINISTER 
BARRIONUEVO SAYING THAT SPAIN DID NOT PLAN ADDITIONAL 
LIBYAN EXPULSIONS. 
 
¶3.  (C) COMMENT:  IT IS NOT CLEAR WHERE THIS SERIES 
OF EXPULSIONS AND REPRISALS IS GOING TO TAKE SPANISH- 
LIBYAN RELATIONS.  THE GOS IS DRIVEN BY TWO MUTUALLY- 
EXCLUSIVE DESIRES.  ON THE ONE HAND, IN THIS 

ELECTORAL 
PERIOD IT WANTS TO DISCREDIT THE FAR RIGHT (WHICH IT 
HAS DONE BY PUBLICIZING THE COLONEL'S CONNECTION TO 
QADHAFI - REF C), AND SHOW IT IS 
EFFECTIVE AGAINST TERRORISM (WHICH IT DID 
BY BAGGING THE 10-MAN "CALL OF JESUS CHRIST" GROUP - 
REF A).  AT THE SAME TIME THE GOS WANTS TO AVOID 
BECOMING A PRINCIPAL TARGET FOR QADHAFI BY PERSERVING 
AS MUCH OF A RELATIONSHIP AS POSSIBLE.  FOREIGN 
MINISTER ORDONEZ     PLAYED  TO THE SECOND LINE THIS 
WEEKEND WHEN HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON LIBYAN ACTIVITIES 
HERE, SAYING "I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY STATEMENT WHICH 
MIGHT AGGRAVATE A STATE OF RELATIONS WHICH IS PASSING 
THROUGH A DELICATE MOMENT."  WE UNDERSTAND FROM OUR 
MFA SOURCE THAT SENIOR MINISTRY OFFICIALS MET TODAY 
TO DECIDE HOW TO REACT TO LIBYA'S RETALIATION 
(WHICH LEAVES THE GOS EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI WITH ONLY 
3 DIPLOMATS).  THE DECISION TO DO NOTHING IS 
CONSISTENT WITH THE MINISTRY'S LINE -- TAKEN PUBLICLY 
THIS WEEKEND -- THAT IT DOES NOT WANT TO SEVER 
RELATIONS WITH TRIPOLI.  THIS STRATEGY IS ONLY 

POSSIBLE IF QADHAFI PLAYS ALONG. 
 
 
ENDERS