FOLLOW UP ON ASSURANCES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

S E C R E T ALGIERS 002309 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2015 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL AG SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON ASSURANCES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISES REF: A. STATE 193543 ¶B. ALGIERS 1877 ¶C. ALGIERS 2225 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR RICHARD W. ERDMAN, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) (S) FOLLOWING A NOVEMBER 16 MEETING WITH MFA SECRETARY GENERAL LAMAMRA ON OTHER ISSUES, AMBASSADOR REMINDED LAMAMRA THAT THE EMBASSY HAD NOT RECEIVED A REACTION TO THE TEXTS PROPOSED BY THE U.S. FOR DIPLOMATIC NOTES (REF C) TO BE EXCHANGED IN ADVANCE OF MILITARY EXERCISES IN ALGERIA. AMBASSADOR REMINDED LAMAMRA THAT SUCH ASSURANCES WERE NEEDED IN ADVANCE OF PLANNED UPCOMING EXERCISES, ESPECIALLY THOSE INVOLVING U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT. AMBASSADOR EXPLAINED THAT THE ASSURANCES WERE NEEDED FOR LIABILITY REASONS IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT -- SUCH AS A PLANE CRASH -- DURING AN EXERCISE. THE INTENT, STRESSED AMBASSADOR, WAS NOT TO DIMINISH ALGERIAN SOVEREIGNTY DURING SUCH EXERCISES. LAMAMRA SAID BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES IN THE INTERAGENCY HAD DELAYED THE GOA REPLY, BUT HE ASSURED AMBASSADOR THAT ALGERIA UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE THE U.S. ATTACHED TO SUCH ASSURANCES AND THAT A RESPONSE WAS IN COURSE. ERDMAN