RESPONSE TO SECRETARY'S RABAT INVITATION

UNCLAS MUSCAT 002145

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA, NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI
ABU DHABI FOR MEPI:HWECHSEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMPI KDEM KPAO PREL ECON OPDC
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO SECRETARY'S RABAT INVITATION

REF: SECSTATE 251371


1. In response to reftel letter from Secretary Powell to G-8
and Broader Middle East and North Africa foreign ministers,
the Embassy received December 8 a reply letter from Minister
Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah
to the Secretary under cover of a diplomatic note. The text
is as follows:

December 5, 2004

Dear Secretary Powell,

Thank you very much for your message of November 27
concerning the Forum for the Future conference in Rabat on
December 11. I regret very much I am unable to attend
myself, but I am glad to say I will be represented by my
Undersecretary, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaid, and my
colleague Minister for National Economy Ahmed Macki will be
represented by his Secretary General, Mohammed al Khusaibi.

May I take this opportunity to express our firm support for
the Forum for the Future and its objectives. We believe
modernization and development are important policy objectives
that can help bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East.
We are most grateful for the efforts of the governments of
the United States and Morocco in organizing the conference,
and in particular I would like to express my thanks to you
for your strong personal commitment to this initiative.

With very best wishes for a successful conference,

Yours sincerely,
/s/
Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah
Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs
(end text.)


2. The diplomatic note gave no indication of how the signed
original will be transmitted. The Embassy will forward a fax
copy of the Minister's letter to NEA/ARPI.
BALTIMORE