Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05RABAT1169
2005-06-07 11:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

MOROCCO ON MESSAGE TO THE ARAB LEAGUE AND REGIONAL

Tags:  IO IS IZ LE PREL SY MO 
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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 RABAT 001169 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2015
TAGS: IO IS IZ LE PREL SY MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO ON MESSAGE TO THE ARAB LEAGUE AND REGIONAL
SUPPORT FOR ADVANCING THE PEACE PROCESS

REF: A. STATE 97599


B. RABAT 817

C. STATE 104272

Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001169

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2015
TAGS: IO IS IZ LE PREL SY MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO ON MESSAGE TO THE ARAB LEAGUE AND REGIONAL
SUPPORT FOR ADVANCING THE PEACE PROCESS

REF: A. STATE 97599


B. RABAT 817

C. STATE 104272

Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (C) Poloff met June 2 with MFA Director of Arab and
Islamic Affairs Mohamed Azeroual to discuss ref(a) demarche
regarding the opening of an Israeli liaison office in Rabat,
the closure of the Central Boycott Office (CBO) in Damascus,
and support for resolving the membership of Magen David Adom
in the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. Azeroual responded by
describing how the GOM had pledged "total support" to the
Palestinian Authority during Mahmoud Abbas's recent visit to
Morocco on his return from meeting with President Bush in
Washington. Azeroual said that Abbas had been very pleased
with his visit to the U.S., and hoped that the promises made
would "become concrete." As Azeroual said he and other
Moroccan officials had told A/S Welch during the latter's
April visit to Morocco, Abbas "needs a little time," to sort
things out (ref b). His problems are not with Hamas, but
rather with Fatah. If the elections were held tomorrow,
according to Azeroual, the "hawks" would easily win.
Sharon's government must understand this dynamic and do
everything it can to help Abbas, said Azeroual. Along those
lines, Azeroual said he understood that the date for a summit
between Abbas and Sharon had been set for June 22. Morocco
stood ready to do anything necessary to help create positive
conditions for a dialogue, Azeroual said.


2. (C) Opening Trade or Representative Offices: Responding
specifically to the potential reopening of the Israeli
liaison office in Rabat, Azeroual said that the GOM continues
to have contacts with the Israelis, but not necessarily in
diplomatic channels. That said, Azeroual noted that advanced
steps in the peace process would need to be taken to prepare
the ground for the reopening of an office in Rabat. No dates
could yet be fixed for such an event.


3. (C) Arab League Boycott: Azeroual asserted that there was
"no real boycott," and in any case, the Moroccans have never
really applied it (using Coca Cola's prevalence in Morocco as
an example). Azeroual acknowledged that the CBO continues to
meet under Syrian influence, but "is not effective" in
stopping others from countering the boycott. For the
Moroccans, Azeroual said he believed that the Arab League
boycott and the U.S.-Moroccan Free Trade Agreement were
incompatible, indicating his belief that the issue was moot
for Morocco.


4. (C) Magen David Adom (MDA): According to Azeroual, the
Arab League is not necessarily against the inclusion of MDA,
but said that as long as there is no peace agreement it is
premature to discuss this issue. Azeroual emphasized that
this is not a categorical no, but rather conditioned on
progress in the peace process. He also noted that he
understood that the conference to be held in Switzerland had
been postponed for the time being (ref c).
RILEY