MOROCCO: URGING ISOLATION OF SARG IN WAKE OF UNSCR

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002296 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV MO SY SUBJECT: MOROCCO: URGING ISOLATION OF SARG IN WAKE OF UNSCR 1636 REF: A. STATE 205436 ¶B. STATE 205225 Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Poloff met November 10 with MFA Director of Arab and Islamic Organizations Hassan Hami to discuss ref(a) demarche urging isolation of the Syrian government (SARG) following the passage of UNSCR 1636. Hami emphasized that Morocco respects the Security Council resolution and would never take any steps to contravene "international legality." Hami said, however, that Morocco and Syria enjoy a "good bilateral relationship," which is dependent on a range of interests beyond the "single issue" of Syrian involvement in Hariri's assassination. As a result, according to Hami, it would be hard to refuse a requested meeting with the SARG, either in Morocco or Syria, especially since many other Arab countries have already accepted visits by Syrian officials. That said, Hami emphasized that he was not aware of any upcoming meetings that are being planned. ¶2. (C) By way of background, Hami explained, Syria and Morocco did not always have a strong bilateral relationship due to Syria being among the first Arab countries to acknowledge the independence of the Western Sahara. Indeed, according to Hami, the SARG may still have a limited relationship with the Polisario, which had been maintaining a representative in Syria. The GOM considered this to be an extremely serious matter as it relates to Moroccan national security, said Hami. RILEY