VZCZCXRO9163
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #0725 1851055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031055Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5017
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3485
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0445

UNCLAS MADRID 000725 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (AARON COPE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SP EAID PHUM BM
SUBJECT: SPAIN'S VIEWS ON SHAPING POST-CYCLONE ASSISTANCE 
IN BURMA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 68527 
 
¶1. (SBU) On July 2, 2008, Poloff discussed reftel with 
Spanish MFA Deputy Director General for the Pacific, 
Southeast Asia and Philippines, Jose Luis Garcia Galan. 
Poloff stressed the importance of continued international 
insistence on access, transparency and accountability of 
humanitarian assistance and that such assistance must not 
reinforce or perpetuate the Burmese regime's human rights 
abuses or economic mismanagement. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Garcia said the GOS agrees with the United States 
regarding the need for accountability and added that European 
sanctions have proven efficient and effective.  Garcia said 
the GOS will continue to work with Europe on this issue and 
is working within Spain to increase public awareness and 
Spain's profile in the region.  To this end, Garcia said the 
GOS has begun working on a program to aid refugees in 
Thailand and anticipates such aid will benefit the Burmese 
refugees on the Thailand border as well.  Garcia returned 
from Beijing July 1, having attended the fifth Asia-Europe 
Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) meeting.  According to 
Garcia, post-cyclone assistance in Burma was discussed 
generally (not a formal agenda item) and will be on the 7th 
Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit's agenda, scheduled for 
October 2008. 
AGUIRRE