BELKHEIR RAISES MOROCCAN REQUEST TO DESIGNATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001508

SIPDIS

NSC FOR TIM POUNDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL WI AG MO
SUBJECT: BELKHEIR RAISES MOROCCAN REQUEST TO DESIGNATE
POLISARIO AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

REF: NEA/MAG-EMBASSY ALGIERS E-MAIL JULY 15

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Marc Sievers, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) During a July 18 meeting with Charge on other issues,
Presidential Chief of Staff Belkheir raised reports that
Morocco has requested the U.S. to designate the Polisario
Front as a terrorist organization. Belkheir asserted that an
American organization called The Institute for the Prevention
of Terrorism in Oklahoma had listed the Polisario among a
list of Algerian terrorist organizations. Since the
Institute reportedly receives U.S. Government funding,
Belkheir asked whether its listing of the Polisario signified
an official U.S. decision to designate the Polisario. Such a
categorization of the Polisario was false, Belkheir said,
commenting that Polisario had never used terrorist tactics
throughout its thirty-year struggle to achieve Sahrawi
independence.


2. (C) Belkheir noted that Algeria and the U.S. were allies
against terrorism, adding that both countries had benefited
from this cooperation, which continued to develop. Should
the U.S. decide to designate the Polisario, however, that
would "raise questions about the bases of our cooperation."
Charge responded that he was not aware of any U.S. decision
to designate the Polisario as a terrorist organization,
adding that he was unfamiliar with the Institute for the
Prevention of Terrorism, but it appeared to be a private
organization. Belkheir said his principal concern was how
did the U.S. plan to respond to the Moroccan request. Charge
reiterated that Embassy Algiers had not been informed of any
decision to designate Polisario as a terrorist organization,
but said he would request Washington confirmation.


3. (C) Action request: According to NEA/MAG's daily e-mail
update of July 15, Algerian Embassy Polcouns Derdouri made a
similar demarche to S/CT's Mike Miller on July 14, although
Derdouri referred to TKB.org website vice The Institute for
the Prevention of Terrorism -- we are unfamiliar with both.
Although S/CT reportedly denied any change in U.S. policy
toward the Polisario, we would appreciate the Department's
guidance on how to respond to Belkheir.
SIEVERS