Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ALGIERS2086
2005-10-11 09:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:  

BELKHADEM TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER?

Tags:  PGOV AG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 002086 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015
TAGS: PGOV AG
SUBJECT: BELKHADEM TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER?


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Marc J. Sievers,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

RUMORS SUGGEST THAT BELKHADEM TO REPLACE
OUYAHIA; CABINET SHOULD REMAIN LARGELY INTACT
---------------------------------------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 002086

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015
TAGS: PGOV AG
SUBJECT: BELKHADEM TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER?


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Marc J. Sievers,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

RUMORS SUGGEST THAT BELKHADEM TO REPLACE
OUYAHIA; CABINET SHOULD REMAIN LARGELY INTACT
--------------


1. (C) According to press reports in recent days, FLN Party
Leader and former Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, who
is also Minister of State and Bouteflika's Personal
Representative, will be named Prime Minister, replacing Ahmed
Ouyahia. These rumors have circulated for about a month but
are becoming more persistent since last week. Embassy
sources predicted that any announcement would be made just
before or immediately after the end of Ramadan. Belkhadem
has stated publicly that it would be entirely natural that
the FLN, the largest party in the Presidential Alliance and
majority party in the National Assembly, should have its
leader (Belkhadem) as Prime Minister. According to Embassy
contacts, the current cabinet would remain largely intact
should Belkhadem be named Prime Minister.

OUYAHIA WOULD LEAD PRESIDENTIAL ALLIANCE
--------------


2. (C) Separately, the political parties aligned with the
President announced October 11 that the moderate Islamist
Movement for a Society of Peace (MSP) would immediately cede
the leadership of the Presidential Alliance, in a normal
rotation, to Ouyahia's National Democratic Rally (RND). The
strains between Ouyahia and Bouteflika have risen over the
past several weeks. Belkhadem, as an eloquent speaker of
formal Arabic and leader of the FLN's conservative, Islamic
wing, was a big asset to Bouteflika in the campaign on
National Reconciliation, whereas Ouyahia's Berber origins and
reputation as a fierce opponent of political Islam were seen
as less helpful to the campaign. Perhaps the final straw
came when Bouteflika pulled the rug out from under Ouyahia
days before the September 29 vote by coming out against
declaring Tamazight (Berber) a national language. This
occurred after Ouyahia had suggested for months that a
favorable declaration on Tamazight's status was on the
horizon. Hostility toward Bouteflika's proposal and
boycotting of the referendum vote were also greatest in areas
where the concentration of Berbers was highest.

COMMENT
--------------


3. (C) Elevating Belkhadem to Prime Minister would overcome
the setback he suffered in 2000, when President Bouteflika
passed him over as Prime Minister in favor of Ali Benflis.
The change would confirm Bouteflika's increasing room for
maneuver following voters' approval September 29 of his
proposal for National Reconciliation. It also would increase
the likelihood that a referendum would be held in 2006 on
amending the constitution, since Belkhadem has forcefully
advocated adoption of a provision that would allow Bouteflika
to run for a third term.

SIEVERS