VZCZCXRO5889
RR RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #0087 0271240
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 271240Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0115
INFO RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE
RUCNWSN/THE WASSENAAR ARRANGEMENT COLLECTIVE
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0358
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3763

S E C R E T MADRID 000087 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO ISN/MTR'S JOHN PAUL HERRMANN 
PASS TO EUR/WE'S ELAINE SAMSON AND STACIE ZERDECKI 
PASS TO EUR/PRA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2034 
TAGS: MTCR PARM PREL ETTC MNUC TSPA SP SY
SUBJECT: SPAIN RECEIVES DEMARCHE ON SPANISH METAL MERCHANT 
SUPPLIES SYRIAN ENTITIES OF PROLIFERATION CONCERN 
 
REF: SECSTATE 04134 
 
Classified By: ADCM William H. Duncan for reasons 1.4 (b), (c) and (d). 
 
¶1. (S) POLOFF and Deputy ECON Counselor on January 26 
delivered REFTEL non-paper and talking points to Carlos 
Torres, Counselor for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and 
Disarmament in the MFA,s DG for Strategic Affairs & 
Terrorism.  Torres said that he was not familiar with this 
particular case, but he would make sure that the Spanish 
inter-agency group received a copy.  Torres also commented 
that many Spanish companies that the GOS questions about 
their exports that have potential dual-use technologies, such 
as steel and aluminum alloys in this case, are unaware of the 
potential consequences of their actions and are simply 
looking to find new buyers.  Torres also remarked that, over 
the past year, the GOS has been increasingly seeing Syria 
involved in a number of questionable non-proliferation issues 
but pointed out that politically the GOS retains good 
relations with Syria. 
 
¶2. (C) POLOFF had tried to also deliver the demarche and 
non-paper to the Embassy's contacts at the Ministry of 
Industry, Tourism and Commerce (MITyC) as had been Embassy 
practice for some time.  Our MITyC contact this time resisted 
our request and suggested that when the Embassy wishes to 
discuss with the GOS its concerns related to Spanish 
companies and non-proliferation issues, we should contact the 
office of Mr. Gonzalo Salazar, Deputy Director General of the 
MFA's Office of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. 
CHACON