El conflicto del S¨¢hara
Cable desde Marruecos sobre la relaci¨®n con Argelia
El rey Mohamed VI reprocha, en 2008, al presidente argelino, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, enrocarse en el status quo
| ID: | 143518 |
| Date: | 2008-02-28 16:08:00 |
| Origin: | 08RABAT185 |
| Source: | Embassy Rabat |
| Classification: | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Dunno: | |
| Destination: | VZCZCXRO9993 PP RUEHTRO DE RUEHRB #0185/01 0591608 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 281608Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8201 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 4700 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0595 RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0096 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 2297 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 0444 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0705 RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 1410 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3534 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3669 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4946 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0682 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0274 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 9535 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3919 RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 2226 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 1933 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0786 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 000185 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, EUR/SCE AND AF/W E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018 TAGS: PREL, OVIP, MO SUBJECT: NEA A/S WELCH,S MEETINGS WITH KING MOHAMMED VI AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TAIEB FASSI FIHRI Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: King Mohammed VI received NEA A/S Welch for an hour on February 25. The wide-ranging exchange of views focused on bilateral cooperation, the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), Iran, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mauritania, Syria, Algeria and Western Sahara. In most respects, the audience mirrored the meeting that preceded it with Minister of Foreign Affairs Fassi Fihri and MFA Director General for Multilateral Affairs Mohamed Azeroual. However, we heard that Amr Moussa,s latest visit to Beirut had been "a catastrophe;" the Emir of Kuwait did not plan to attend the Arab summit in Damascus; and Morocco was looking at other Arab countries' reaction to Kosovo's declaration of independence. The King asked us to assist Mauritania and warned that the POLISARIO must not attempt to occupy the area east of the berm in Western Sahara. In his meeting with the Foreign Minister, Ambassador Welch pressed for an agreement on the status of the American schools in Morocco and informed the Minister of a planned accord with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. END SUMMARY. BILATERAL COOPERATION --------------------- 2. (C) Receiving NEA A/S Welch, the Ambassador, DCM and Erin Yerger, the Executive Assistant to Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Elliot Abrams, at the royal palace in Marrakech on February 25, the King thanked the United States for the excellent cooperation on counterterrorism, the Millennium Challenge Account and the Free Trade Agreement. Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri also attended the audience. KOSOVO ------ 3. (C) The King noted that he had just met with the Greek Foreign Minister, who urged him not to recognize Kosovo. The King and the Foreign Minister indicated that they intended to discuss recognition with other Arab leaders at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit in Dakar in March. Fassi Fihri said the Serbian Foreign Minister has also requested a meeting. MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS ---- 4. (C) Ambassador Welch began by underscoring that this is an important year for the region and that the President is determined to make progress on the MEPP. Welch briefed the King and the Minister on the process and assured them that the Israelis and the Palestinians are making progress, but the public is unaware of it. On Gaza, Welch averred that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is focused on the least bad option. For his part, the King expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. LEBANON ------- 5. (C) Turning to the continuing leadership vacuum in Lebanon, A/S Welch said that we see three options: 1) to continue efforts to elect a President by consensus; 2) to elect a President with 50 percent of the vote plus one; or 3) to support the Siniora government. Welch indicated that we increasingly believe the third option affords the best means to support Lebanon,s institutions. Asked about Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa's visit to Beirut, Fassi Fihri SIPDIS characterized it as 'a catastrophe.' SYRIA AND THE ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT -------------------------------- 6. (C) Noting that Kings Mohammed VI and Abdullah II of Jordan had come to power at approximately the same time as RABAT 00000185 002 OF 003 President Bashar al-Assad, Welch decried Syria,s lost opportunities. Welch said that he understood that the Syrian Foreign Minister would be in Marrakech on February 26 to deliver an invitation to the Arab Summit in Damascus, and Welch predicted that attendance would be poor. The King said he understood that the Emir of Kuwait did not plan to attend, implying that Morocco would be represented at the ministerial level at best. IRAN ---- 7. (C) Ambassador Welch asked if he might say a few words about Iran and its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The King responded that he understood that Iran had suspended its nuclear weapons program. Welch thanked the King for the opportunity to clarify, declaring that the U.S. intelligence estimate had been misunderstood and that the reporting on this issue has been unclear. Welch said that we continued to believe that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons; so President Bush was seeking a middle ground "between the bomb and bombing," without giving up any option. Diplomatic pressure is best for now. When the King asked what that middle ground might look like, Welch said that more Security Council-approved sanctions loom and that Iran must accept a diplomatic solution. ALGERIA ------- 8. (C) The conversation then turned to Algeria, and Welch asked if the GOM had any views on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika,s plans. The King said he understood that Bouteflika was amending the Constitution to permit a third term, and Welch noted wryly that Bouteflika was doing so without Syrian assistance. The King praised the "frustrated" Algerian Ambassador in Rabat for his tireless efforts to improve bilateral relations, stating, &We have no relations with Algeria, except for limited cooperation on security issues." In spite of obvious opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, energy and a host of other areas, President Bouteflika and his government clearly prefer the status quo. The King noted that he had even traveled to Algiers to try to break the impasse, but the GOA continues to insist on the Western Sahara issue being resolved before proceeding with other bilateral or regional initiatives. WESTERN SAHARA -------------- 9. (C) The King and Fassi Fihri expressed grave concern about the POLISARIO's stated plans to move people into the area east of the berm. The King said bluntly that Morocco could not allow that. Praising the King,s autonomy initiative, Welch urged the GOM to press ahead with the Manhasset talks. He said support for Morocco,s position is growing ever so slowly. Separately, Welch cautioned the King's intelligence chief against militarization of the dispute. MAURITANIA ---------- 10. (C) Looking at Western Sahara's neighbor Mauritania, the King stressed that Mauritania needs help and that he will see the Mauritanian President in Dakar. AMERICAN SCHOOLS ---------------- 11. (U) Welch took advantage of a few private minutes with Fassi Fihri to underscore the need for an agreement on the status of the American schools in Morocco. Noting that he had attended the Rabat American School (RAS)as a child, Welch said if a solution is not found soon that RAS could not produce more David Welches. Fassi Fihri replied that he had RABAT 00000185 003 OF 003 been in contact with Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi and Director General of Taxation Nouredine Bensouda about our proposal. U.S. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM ------------------------------ 12. (U) Welch also raised made the Minister aware of the planned signing of an accord between the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Moroccan National Archives. Welch also mentioned that the Museum still planned to host a conference on the Holocaust in Arab lands. COMMENT ------- 13. (C) Although his face looked puffy, the King appeared relaxed and rested after four weeks in France. The meeting itself underscored how much U.S. and Moroccan views coincide. END COMMENT. 14. (U) NEA A/S Welch has cleared this message. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ***************************************** Riley |
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