Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08MADRID143, MADRID WEEKLY ECON/COMMERCIAL/AG UPDATE - FEBRUARY

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MADRID143.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08MADRID143 2008-02-11 17:02 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Madrid
VZCZCXRO5059
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #0143/01 0421702
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111702Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4235
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 3283
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 000143 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE AND EEB/IFD/OMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAIR ECON EFIN EINV ELAB ELTN ENRG ETRD
SP 
SUBJECT: MADRID WEEKLY ECON/COMMERCIAL/AG UPDATE - FEBRUARY 
4-8 
 
MADRID 00000143  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Table of Contents: 
 
ECON/ELAB: Record one-month jump in unemployment 
ECON/EFIN: Banks report healthy profits 
EINV/ENRG: Zapatero says EDF needs to negotiate to enter 
Spanish electricity market 
EAGR: EU policy to propel Spanish wine shift 
EAGR/ETRD: French protest against agricultural imports from 
Spain 
ELTN/EAIR: AVE set to compete for travelers on 
Madrid-Barcelona run 
EAIR: Varig opens new route to Brazil 
 
 
RECORD ONE-MONTH JUMP IN UNEMPLOYMENT 
 
1. (U) Registered unemployment rose by 132,000, or 6.2 
percent, in January, the largest one-month increase in the 21 
years that records have been kept in their current form.  The 
month's increase was primarily concentrated in temporary 
employment, but the permanent sector is likely to be affected 
too; unemployment is predicted to worsen during 2008 as a 
result of the slump in the construction and real estate 
sectors.  The deceleration of the economy appears to be 
somewhat worse than had been expected a few months ago, and 
some analysts now predict 2008 GDP growth of only 2.5 
percent.  Despite the recent increase, the unemployment rate 
- 8.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007 - remains well 
below the 11.5 percent rate when Socialists came to power in 
2004.  However, the number of registered unemployed has 
increased to 2.26 million because of growth in the labor 
force, including the arrival of approximately 2.5 million 
immigrants.  Opposition PP presidential candidate Mariano 
Rajoy is using this decline to sway Spanish voters against 
the present government by calling unemployment reports, "a 
real drama."  Others argue that despite slow employment 
growth the economy is far from a recession or a "drama," but 
that spurring growth and employment will require quick 
government action, such as encouraging more public 
investment. (EL PAIS, 2/5/08 and 2/6/08) 
 
BANKS REPORT HEALTHY PROFITS 
 
2. (U) Santander reported a 9 billion euro profit and BBVA a 
6.1 billion euro profit for 2007.  Out of 15 banks listed in 
El Pais, only two reported losses: La Caixa and Banco 
Sabadell.  This is of course in stark contrast to some of the 
big losses racked up elsewhere by Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, 
UBS, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, JPMorgan, HSBC, 
Barclays and Societe Generale.  (Comment: It appears to be 
true that the Spanish banks were less exposed to U.S. 
sub-prime related instruments in 2007 than many of their 
foreign counterparts.  However, given that most observers 
believe that housing will face a tough 2008 in Spain, it will 
be a distinct challenge for Spanish banks to do as well in 
2008 as they did in 2007.) (El Pais, 2/7/08) 
 
ZAPATERO SAYS EDF NEEDS TO NEGOTIATE TO ENTER SPANISH 
ELECTRICITY MARKET 
 
3. (U) At a February 6  KPMG event, Zapatero insinuated that 
if EDF wants to get into the Spanish energy sector, i.e. buy 
Iberdrola with Spanish construction giant ACS, it would have 
to do so through a "process of good understanding." 
(Comment: There has been lots of local press speculation 
about EDF teaming up with ACS to launch a hostile takeover 
bid of Iberdrola.  Many commentators have noted the 
discrepancy inherent in President Sarkozy's insistence that 
Societe Generale remain in French hands while French national 
champion EDF maneuvers to buy one of Spain's leading 
companies, Iberdrola.) (El Pais, 2/7/08) 
 
EU POLICY TO PROPEL SPANISH WINE SHIFT 
 
4. (U) While Spanish wine producers, among the top five in 
the world, have for years been shifting to higher-quality 
wine production at the expense of table wines and wines for 
distillation, the recent agreement to reform the European 
Union wine policy will propel them to shift at a much greater 
pace.  The new EU wine policies maintain the same budget 
levels; but shift spending emphasis from propping up 
production for distillation, of which Spain has been a major 
beneficiary, to promoting higher-quality wine production, 
consumption, and marketing.  The Spanish Government has said 
that Spain, and Spain's producing regions, must invest the 
money wisely, because they believe that more competition in 
the wine sector is just around the corner when the Doha Round 
trade negotiations are concluded.  New-world wine producers 
 
MADRID 00000143  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
have already had tremendous success in the European wine 
market, and lower tariffs associated with the conclusion of 
the Doha negotiations will make them more price competitive 
vis-a-vis Spanish wines. 
 
5. (U) The Spanish government recently launched "Wine 
Strategy 2010," which will encourage and help wine producers 
become more competitive in European and third-country 
markets, while potentially improving the sector's income, 
long-term viability, and cachet worldwide.  In that regard, 
the new marketing emphasis of European wine-sector reform 
will likely become a welcome complement to the Spanish 
strategy.  Recently the Spanish have ramped up marketing 
efforts in the United States, Russia, and Asia.  The U.S. 
market is very attractive right now, because of the surge of 
interest in Spanish foods and wines.  The strength of the 
euro vis-a-vis the dollar may hinder somewhat their efforts, 
but they apparently consider the long-term potential gains 
for the sector to outweigh the current monetary pressures. 
Spanish exporters have more than doubled wine exports to 
Russia during the last year, now exceeding French exports in 
volume, while still trailing the French in export value. 
They are also focusing on Japan, recently taking part in a 
five-city tour to enhance the exposure and image of Spain's 
diverse selection of wines. 
 
FRENCH PROTEST AGAINST AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS FROM SPAIN 
 
6. (U) French farmers detained, vandalized and destroyed 
produce and wine in the South of France in protest of 
agricultural imports from Spain.  Members of the young 
farmers group Jeunes Agriculteurs blocked and overturned 
trucks carrying wine and produce at a toll station outside 
Montpellier on Tuesday, spilling over 100,000 liters of red 
and white wine in the hopes of causing authorities to take 
notice of what they say are Spanish agricultural goods 
treated with banned pesticides that enter France daily and go 
unchecked.  (20 minutos 2/7/08) 
 
AVE SET TO COMPETE FOR TRAVELERS ON MADRID-BARCELONA RUN 
 
7. (U) The long-delayed opening of high-speed rail (AVE) 
service between Madrid and Barcelona appears likely to take 
place in the next few weeks, before the March 9 elections. 
The government has not yet announced a date, perhaps hoping 
to avoid a repeat of the criticism it has faced for not 
meeting previous deadlines, but trains are now making trial 
runs.  The over 200-mph train will set off a battle for 
passengers with airlines; Iberia alone carries 8,000 
passengers a day on its 60 shuttle flights between Spain's 
two largest cities.  Iberia officials have said they expect 
to see a decline in volume but that they expect to hold their 
own among business passengers, because their flights will 
still be shorter than the train trip.  Improving railway 
infrastructure has been a major effort of the Zapatero 
government, which has invested 21 billion euros - 70 percent 
of it on the AVE lines - as the first part of a 15-year 
project.  The Madrid-to-Malaga and Madrid-to-Valladolid AVE 
service opened in December have proven to be very successful, 
with passenger numbers doubling on the Malaga line and 
increasing by 75 percent on the Valladolid line.  On the 
Madrid-to-Seville route, where AVE service began in 1992, 80 
percent of passengers now choose rail over air.  Railway 
officials say public subsidies will end by 2010. 
Environmental benefits - trains produce less CO2 per 
passenger-mile than planes - may give them another advantage 
as the EU moves towards measures to make polluters pay the 
cost of emissions. (El Pais 2/9/08, Guardian 2/2/08) 
 
VARIG OPENS NEW ROUTE TO BRAZIL 
 
8. (U) Brazilian airline Varig hopes to transport 7,000 
passengers a month on its new route from Madrid to Sao Paolo 
and Rio de Janeiro.  The airline, acquired a year ago by 
GLAI, added the new route in hopes of opening up a trade and 
tourism market with Spain. (Terra 02/01/08) 
LLORENS