SPAIN SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IN AFGHANISTAN

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000136 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2017 TAGS: PREL, MARR, NATO, SP SUBJECT: SPAIN SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IN AFGHANISTAN REF: A. SECSTATE 4834 B. SECSTATE 7434 Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). 1. (C) During a private dinner with spouses, the Ambassador briefly discussed with FM Moratinos on January 19 ref A points regarding the US's objectives for the NATO foreign ministerial and the need for Allies to take the offensive in Afghanistan. Moratinos said he looked forward to greater detail, which the Ambassador undertook to share with MFA and MOD officials involved in NATO/Afghanistan issues. 2. (C) Poloff delivered detailed ref B points to MOD Director General for Defense Policy Benito Raggio and MFA deputy director general for NATO Pablo Gutierrez-Segu on January 23. Gutierrez-Segu said on January 25 that the GOS was still consolidating its position, but that Spain continues to spend the 150 million euro pledge that it made at the London conference and would not announce a new financial contribution in Brussels. He said that Spain would be more likely to make an announcement of additional resources, possibly with a military focus, at the NATO defense ministerial that it is hosting in Sevilla in two weeks. 3. (C) Gutierrez-Segu said that Spain strongly supports the "Comprehensive Approach" and has tried to implement this broad perspective in its work at the Spanish Provincial Reconstruction Team in Qwal-i-naw. On counter-narcotics, he said that the UK had recently met with him to press increased cooperation, and that MFA is considering the UK proposal. On police, Gutierrez-Segu said that Spain was likely to participate in the EU police training mission. 4. (C) DCM will hold several-times postponed meetings with new MOD Policy Director Luis Cuesta and MFA Policy Director Rafael Dezcallar next week to further press the importance of Spain making a significant announcement in Sevilla. Aguirre