VZCZCXRO8099
PP RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #2295/01 3551619
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211619Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3996
INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 6072
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 3212
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0396

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002295 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PI FOR KENNETH GROSS, CATHERINE BOURGEOIS, ELIZABETH 
SULLIVAN, BLAKE THORKELSON 
NEA/MAG FOR RANDALL KAAILAU 
IO/UNP FOR ANNELIESE REINEMEYER 
USUN FOR LAURIE SHESTACK 
S/P FOR KAREN VOLKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SOCI KMPI UN SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN WOULD WELCOME MEPI PROJECT UNDER AOC AUSPICES 
 
REF: A. S-MORATINOS LETTER - FEBRUARY 14 2006 
     ¶B. MADRID 2046 
     ¶C. USUN 851 
     ¶D. USUN 496 
     ¶E. 2006 ISTANBUL 2084 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY;  Polcouns met December 19 with Spanish Deputy 
Political Director Felix Costales to discuss the possible 
association of MEPI's Civic Education Partnership Initiative 
(CEPI) with the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) as a means to 
fulfill the Secretary's commitment to contribute to the AoC. 
Costales welcomed the initiative and noted that it clearly 
falls within the parameters of the AoC's stated goals and 
priorities.  He added that official approval would have to be 
coordinated with AoC High Representative Jorge Sampaio, but 
he did not anticipate this would be a problem and undertook 
to discuss it with Sampaio.  Polcouns asked whether the 
project's association with the AoC would entail any 
administrative burden - monitoring, follow up, publicity, 
etc.  Costales replied that a joint press release and a 
future report on the results of the project would likely be 
the extent of the administrative burden, as the AoC does not 
aspire to be a major grant-making organization.  He 
underscored that the AoC's primary purpose will not be the 
development, funding and implementation of projects; rather, 
the AOC wants to lend its name, political cachet, and best 
practices to groups and projects in its field of view, as 
well as serving as a networking and coordination 
"clearinghouse."  Costales also urged the U.S. to do more 
than re-brand a MEPI project with an AoC imprimatur, and he 
offered three possible projects where a U.S. contribution 
could be helpful.  He acknowledged that no such contribution 
could reasonably be expected before the January 15-16 First 
Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations in Madrid, and he said 
there would be plenty of time after the forum for 
consideration of these proposals.  Costales encouraged the 
U.S. to attend the Forum despite our non-membership in the 
Group of Friends.  END SUMMARY. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  Polcouns called on Spanish Deputy Political Director 
Felix Costales December 19 to propose a means of fulfilling 
Secretary Rice's commitment to contribute to the Alliance of 
 
SIPDIS 
Civilizations, a UN institution proposed, developed and 
largely funded by Spain.  Secretary Rice committed to a 
contribution in a February 2006 letter to Foreign Minister 
Moratinos, but asked Moratinos to help identify a concrete 
project to which the U.S. could make a contribution.  In 
coordination with EUR, NEA/PI identified USD 100,000 in 
October 2005 that could be directed toward an eventual AoC 
contribution, provided it could be earmarked for a specific 
project whose goals corresponded with those of MEPI.  Almost 
two years later, the Alliance has become a full-fledged UN 
institution with a High Representative of the Secretary 
General, former Portuguese PM Jorge Sampaio, and a Group of 
Friends of more than 70 nations.  However, neither the AoC 
nor the Spanish have proposed a specific project for U.S. 
attention.  Spanish interlocutors have consistently shown 
less interest in the size and substance of a U.S. 
contribution than in the aesthetic significance of USG 
involvement in the AoC as an institution.  During A/S Fried's 
October visit to Madrid, GOS interlocutors emphasized the 
importance of a U.S. contribution prior to the AoC's First 
Forum January 15-16 in Madrid. 
 
MADRID ACTION 
------------- 
 
¶3.  In consultation with EUR and IO, Embassy Madrid reached 
out again to NEA/PI in October 2007 seeking a project that 
could fulfill the Secretary's commitment.  NEA/PI proposed 
the Civic Education Partnership Initiative (CEPI), a joint 
effort among Bowling Green State University, Hassan II 
University, the Moroccan Center for Civic Education, and the 
U.S. Center for Civic Education.  Starting in Morocco, CEPI 
proposes to introduce a Civic Education into North African 
schools from K-12.  The project would involve training of 
teachers and administrators, as well as development of new 
education materials and procedures compatible with the unique 
educational experience in North Africa.  We understand NEA/PI 
is willing to associate the project with the AoC, provided it 
does not entail undue administrative/accountability burdens, 
 
MADRID 00002295  002 OF 002 
 
 
and is prepared to proceed with the USD 1.2 million 
initiative either way. 
 
SPANISH RESPONSE 
---------------- 
 
¶4.  Costales welcomed the project and said it clearly fell 
within the bounds of AoC objectives.  If the USG was prepared 
to fund the project, he did not see any reason why it could 
not be done under the AoC umbrella.  On administrative 
burdens, Costales agreed that a joint press release and a 
future report on the project's effectiveness would likely be 
the limit of AoC requirement, but he cautioned that he could 
not speak for High Representative Sampaio. 
 
¶5.  Costales then asked the U.S. to consider providing 
greater political support for the AoC.  He noted that three 
funds would be announced at the First Forum of the AoC in 
Madrid January 15-16.  The first, a "Youth Solidarity Fund" 
would provide small quantities of seed money (app. USD 1,000) 
for youth groups to conduct projects in keeping with AoC 
goals.  The second was a media fund that would provide grants 
to tolerant media sources in nations where media freedom 
and/or objectivity was a concern.  The AoC envisioned this 
fund receiving mainly private contributions but would allow 
matching contributions from States.  Finally, a third fund 
would seek to provide employment for youths in the Middle 
East.  Costales emphasized that a USG contribution to any of 
these funds would represent a greater commitment by the USG 
to the institution, creating a more tangible link than simply 
associating a project designed, funded, and implemented by 
the U.S. with the AoC. 
 
¶6.  Polcouns stated U.S. willingness to look at those funds 
once greater detail was available, but underscored that the 
immediate goal was for the U.S. to fulfill its commitment to 
the AoC and to the GOS prior to the First Forum.  Costales 
agreed, and said there would be time after the Forum for the 
U.S. to consider those projects. 
 
¶7.  We will be in contact with EUR/WE and NEA/PI to close the 
loop and prepare a draft press release to share with the GOS 
and AoC with a view toward an announcement prior to the 
January 15 Forum. 
AGUIRRE