THE KING IN JAPAN: MOROCCO CROSSES THE ASIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002481

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, IO/UNP, EAP

C O R R E C T E D COPY - (ADDED CAPTION)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2010
TAGS: MO PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: THE KING IN JAPAN: MOROCCO CROSSES THE ASIAN
FRONTIER


Classified By: Poloff Marcel Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. Summary: King Mohammed VI traveled to Japan from
November 27-30, his first trip to Japan since assuming the
throne in 1999. During the visit, the King emphasized the
warm relations between the two countries, called on business
communities to boost investment, and highlighted Japan's
active involvement in Moroccan development projects.
Although largely appearing like a "friendship visit," the
King managed to gain a 10 billion yen (approximately USD 83
million) pledge for development loans and grants from Japan.
Summarizing the King's visit to Japan, Deputy FM Fassi Fihri
told the Ambassador December 1 that Morocco wanted to give
the relationship between the two countries a stronger
bilateral flavor. King Mohammed signaled Moroccan support
for a Japanese seat on the UN Security Council. Japan's
Ambassador to Morocco noted that the visit was an important
opportunity for dialogue and allowed Japan to reaffirm its
resolve to support Moroccan development efforts. End Summary.

--------------
Push for Increased Bilateral Relations
--------------


2. (U) At the invitation of Emperor Akihito, King Mohammed
VI paid an official visit to Japan November 27-30 (NB: This
marked the first visit to Japan by a Moroccan monarch.
Princess Lalla Salma, however, visited Japan in July to
inaugurate Morocco's exhibition at the 2005 World Expo). At
an official dinner hosted November 28 by the Emperor and
Empress, King Mohammed, recalling his first visit to Japan as
Prince in 1987, expressed his deep gratitude for the warm
relations Japan and Morocco enjoy politically, economically,
and culturally. The King called on Moroccan and Japanese
business communities to promote and boost investment in order
to "match the dynamism of the public sector." The King also
commended the Japanese government's active support of
development projects in Morocco.


3. (U) The King was accompanied by a delegation of Moroccan
senior officials, including Foreign Minister Benaissa, royal
advisors Abdelaziz Meziane Belfkih and Mohamed Moatassim,
Interior Minister Delegate Fouad Ali Al Himma, as well as the
Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, Equipment and Transport,
and Industry and Trade.

--------------
Japan Pledges More Development Assistance
--------------


4. (U) During his November 29 meeting with Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi, who expressed his government's strong
support for the King's National Initiative for Human
Development (INDH),King Mohammed won pledges from the
Japanese government for 10 billion yen (approximately USD 83
million) in development loans and grants. According to press
reports, the official development assistance includes 9.46
billion yen (approximately USD 79 million) in loans earmarked
for sewage and rural power projects, as well as a 500 million
yen (USD 4 million) grant for unspecified purposes. Japan
also plans to commit up to 46.1 million yen (USD 385,000) for
sound, lighting and audiovisual equipment for Morocco's
National Library.


5. (U) Morocco and Japan inked agreements on political
consultation and the promotion of cultural exchange. The two
sides also expressed their satisfaction with the decision,
effective January 1, 2006, to waive visa requirements for
Moroccan and Japanese citizens holding diplomatic or official
passports on a reciprocal basis.


6. (U) In addition to meeting with the Emperor and Prime
Minister, King Mohammed paid a courtesy visit to Crown Prince
Naruhito and the Japanese parliament where he met with the
speakers of the House of Representatives and House of
Advisors.

--------------
Eye Towards African Development
--------------


7. (U) On the multilateral front, the King highlighted on
several occasions throughout his trip Morocco's eagerness to
establish, "within the framework of the Tokyo International
Conference on African Development," a trilateral

Moroccan-Japanese-African cooperation mechanism to advance
living conditions in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan
Africa. (Comment: Morocco, with Japan's support, hopes this
mechanism will aid in the promotion of South-South
Cooperation in Africa. End Comment.)

--------------
Views from the MFA
--------------


8. (C) Deputy FM Taieb Fassi Fihri told the Ambassador
December 1 that a key objective for the GOM was to diversify
political and economic cooperation beyond traditional allies
such as the US and Europe. The King's visit had been
postponed on two other occasions; Japan had proposed the
visit take place prior to the anniversary meeting of the
Barcelona Process in November, but that was not possible. He
noted that Japan was Morocco's second largest benefactor in
terms of development assistance and provided support "without
the complexity of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)."
Morocco, in turn, supported Japan's quest for a seat on the
Security Council; that was hinted at, Fassi Fihri said, in
the King's reference in public remarks to "helping Japan play
its international role." Japan's neighbors, of course, were
less enthusiastic about a UN seat for Japan, Fassi Fihri
commented; indeed, Morocco did not favor a seat for India
without Pakistan or for South Africa without Morocco to
represent Africa. Summarizing the visit, Fassi Fihri said
Morocco wanted to give the relationship between the two
countries a stronger bilateral flavor.

--------------
Additional Japanese Development Aid
--------------


9. (U) On December 9, the Japanese Embassy in Rabat
announced the Japanese government granted approximately USD
713,000 in public aid to twelve Moroccan associations
operating in the fields of water supply, road infrastructure,
education, social welfare, and agriculture. (NB: This aid is
apparently not tied to the grants won by the King during his
visit.) Recalling King Mohammed's visit to Japan, the
Japanese Ambassador to Rabat, Seigi Hinata, noted that the
visit was an important opportunity for dialogue that allowed
the Japanese government to reaffirm its resolve to support
Moroccan efforts for social, economic, and cultural
development.

--------------
Comment
--------------


10. (C) King Mohammed's visit to Japan helps propel Morocco
across the Asian frontier and cements ties between two royal
families. Japan is an important benefactor for Morocco, and
Japanese assistance helps diversify Morocco's strongest
financial backers, which are the Gulf countries. With its
focus on aid, the Japan visit also is also somewhat of a
departure from other travel the King has undertaken in the
last year -- South America and a number of African countries
-- where the Western Sahara issue has been at the top of the
agenda.
Riley