ALGERIAN POLICY ON MAURITANIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001866

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV PTER MR AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN POLICY ON MAURITANIA

REF: A. STATE 159146


B. ALGIERS 1759

Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In an August 31 meeting with FM Bedjaoui on other
issues, Ambassador briefed on U.S. policy approach toward
Mauritania Ref A),emphasizing that the United States wanted
to see an early return to constitutional order (6-12 months)
and to keep the African Union (AU) in the lead as our
principal partner in pushing for elections and ensuring a
smooth transition. Ambassador said we understood that the
new military leadership was asking for UN election
assistance, which was positive. However, they seemed to be
thinking in terms of a referendum a year from now and
elections the following year. This was much too long a time
to return to constitutional order and was a matter of concern.


2. (C) Bedjaoui said he "quite agreed" with the U.S.
approach. He emphasized that the AU's historic decision to
condemn all unconstitutional changes of government had been
taken in Algiers. Maintaining the principle of the
unacceptability of military coups was thus especially
important for Algeria. Algeria had thus supported the AU's
condemnation of the coup and, during the August visit of a
Mauritanian envoy (Ref B),had urged the need to return to
constitutional order in Mauritania. Since Mauritania was a
neighboring country, Bedjaoui commented, its stability was
important for Algeria, which was engaged in organizing
elections and supporting the AU position. At the same time,
he added that Algeria had the impression the ousted
government had been "too dictatorial."


3. (C) Ambassador noted in this regard that there seemed to
be very little popular resistance to the coup and that some
of the reforms the new leaders have mentioned were positive.
That said, we believed that a two-year timeframe for
elections and a return to constitutional order was not
acceptable and that even positive reform measures would lack
legitimacy, unless they were adopted by an elected government
and parliament. Our collective energies and focus,
Ambassador stressed, should be on getting new elections
scheduled within 6-12 months.

ERDMAN