DEMARCHING MOROCCO ON IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S REMARKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002265 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015 TAGS: PREL PTER IR MO SUBJECT: DEMARCHING MOROCCO ON IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S REMARKS REF: A. STATE 199863 ¶B. STATE 199225 Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) With a group of fifteen Ambassadors and Embassy representatives, Ambassador met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Taieb Fassi Fihri on November 2 to underscore our deep concern regarding the Iranian President's remarks on Israel (refs a and b). In an impressive showing, Ambassadors from Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and the Spanish Political Counselor gathered to emphasize the seriousness of the matter to the GOM. Moroccans attending the meeting included: Fassi Fihri, MFA SYG Omar Hilali, MFA Director of International Organizations and UN Affairs Zhour Alaoui, and MFA Director of Multilateral Relations and Global Cooperation Mohamed Loulichki. ¶2. (C) Organized by the British Ambassador, the size of the group was intended to demonstrate to the Moroccans the strong international reaction to the Iranian President's remarks. The UK Ambassador opened the meeting by emphasizing that these remarks had been unacceptable and needed to be condemned in no uncertain terms. He stressed that all of the governments represented in the meeting felt strongly and unanimously about this issue and had decided that it was important to join together to express this deep concern to the GOM. The Italian Ambassador said that it was unconscionable for any leader to speak the way the Iranian President had spoken. Ambassador reemphasized the British and Italian remarks and thanked the UK Ambassador for organizing the strong participation represented. Ambassador stressed that the issue was so important that it had brought all of these representatives together to make a powerful statement to the GOM. ¶3. (C) In response, Fassi Fihri asserted that it was important to understand the "motivation" behind the Iranian President's remarks. Were the remarks intended as a provocation, was it an off-handed comment, were they intended for internal political consumption, does the President truly believe what he has said, or is it a trap, asked Fassi Fihri rhetorically. The Hungarian Ambassador retorted that it is not important to know what the motivations are because regardless of his motivations, these kinds of statements should be condemned. ¶4. (C) Fassi Fihri then emphasized that the GOM is in "complete agreement" regarding Iran with the assembled participants. Explaining that Morocco has had problems with Iran since Khomeini came to power, Fassi Fihri said that Iran remains a "worry and concern." When Ahmadi-Nejad makes such a statement about wiping Israel off the map, it also means that 600,000 Moroccans would be "thrown into the sea." (Embassy Comment: Fassi Fihri is likely referring to the population of Moroccan Jews in Israel.) However, it is currently difficult for the GOM to make a strong statement because of ongoing concerns regarding the two Moroccans being held hostage in Iraq. Fassi Fihri emphasized that Morocco must be careful about what it says as it will likely be dealing with this issue for a long time. In conclusion, he stressed Moroccan agreement with the participants, but reiterated the delicate position Morocco is in at the time and asked for understanding from the countries assembled. Ambassador left behind U.S. points as a non-paper with Fassi Fihri. RILEY