El Gobierno solicita a EE UU que los submarinos nucleares pasen por Rota

ID

72782

Etiquetas

PREL, MARR, SP, GI

Fecha

2006-07-27 11:46:00

RefID

06MADRID1897

Origen

Embassy Madrid

Clasificación

CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN

Destino

Encabezado

Contenido

VZCZCXRO2727

PP RUEHLA

DE RUEHMD #1897 2081146

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

P 271146Z JUL 06

FM AMEMBASSY MADRID

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0369

INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0727

RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

@ELIMINADO@

RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 1991

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001897

SIPDIS

NOFORN

SIPDIS

EUCOM FOR NAVEUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2016

TAGS: PREL, MARR, SP, GI

SUBJECT: SPAIN CONCERNED ABOUT GIBRALTAR SHIP VISIT

Classified By: A/DCM Kathy Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).

1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: On July 26, a top Foreign Ministry

official called the Ambassador on orders from his minister to

register Spain's concern with the upcoming visit of a US

nuclear-powered submarine to Gibraltar. The GOS did not

specifically request cancellation of the visit, but suggested

that it would be easier on everyone if the sub were to stop

at the nearby Spanish base at Rota instead of Gibraltar. The

Ambassador replied that, while Gibraltar issues are handled

by Embassy London, he would pass the message. He also said

that it is a routine port visit, families are already on

their way to meet the crew, no repairs are scheduled, and the

visit is likely to go forward as planned. END SUMMARY.

2. (C/NF) MFA DG for Europe and North American Jose Pons

called the Ambassador on July 26 to discuss the upcoming

visit of a US submarine to Gibraltar. Prior to this call,

the Spanish navy summoned the Defense Attache to discuss the

same issue. An informal approach was also made via the

Spain-US Permanent Committee (which implements the bilateral

defense treaty). In addition, press and military staff from

the British Embassy contacted their counterparts in Embassy

Madrid to alert us that a nuclear submarine visit to

Gibraltar was likely to become a public issue for us, as it

usually is for them. (COMMENT. The British confided,

however, that they were delighted the US submarine would

visit take place. END COMMENT.)

3. (C/NF) Pons told the Ambassador that he was calling on

orders from Minister Moratinos to register Spain's concern

with the impending visit of a US nuclear submarine to

Gibraltar. He did not formally request a cancellation or

change of the visit. Pons said that pierside submarine visits

at Gibraltar routinely cause public protests by environmental

groups. He said protests could be avoided simply by moving

the port visit to the nearby Spanish base at Rota, where the

visit would be simpler and more discreet.

4. (C/NF) The Ambassador reminded Pons that he has no

authority over issues related to Gibraltar, which is an issue

for Spain and the UK to resolve. He reassured Pons that this

port visit has no political significance, but is simply a

routine stop at a port that the US Navy routinely visits.

The Ambassador told Pons that the EUCOM had made this

decision and was unlikely to change it at this late date

because preparations are set and families already have

tickets to Gibraltar to visit crew members. (NOTE. The last

pierside US submarine visit was in July 2004. US submarines

routinely stop at Gibraltar at anchorage to exchange

personnel without pulling up to the pier. The GOS has raised

no concern about these visits, nor about the pierside visits

of US surface ships. END NOTE.)

5. (C/NF) Contacts from the British Embassy in Madrid told us

that they get calls from MFA, the press, and environmental

groups each time that a British nuclear submarine visits

Gibraltar, approximately quarterly. These visits have been a

particular issue since the British submarine Tireless spent

several months in Gibraltar in 2000 for repairs to its

nuclear propulsion system. Although there was no problem,

and in fact the repairs did not directly involve nuclear

components, public concern stemmed from the potential risk of

exposure to nuclear material in the event of an accident. In

the wake of that incident, Spain and Britain negotiated an

agreement confirming that British ships would continue to

visit Gibraltar and that the British would keep the GOS

well-informed of ship visits.

6. (C/NF) COMMENT. The US Navy should continue to send ships

to Gibraltar as appropriate. At the same time, it is

important to remember that Gibraltar is a sensitive issue for

both Britain and Spain in which the US maintains careful

neutrality. Because of this political context, it is

important to consider the timing of ship visits. Embassy

Madrid appreciates the opportunity to be informed well in

advance of planned port visits in order to provide the most

effective advice to military leaders.

AGUIRRE;"