Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ALGIERS503
2006-03-21 07:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
(C) WESTERN SAHARA: BOUTEFLIKA TELLS A/S WELCH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAS #0503/01 0800742 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 210742Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0606 INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0727 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1183 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 8435 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 5799 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1705 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 1230 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 6066 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0327
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000503
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PBTS WI MO AG
SUBJECT: (C) WESTERN SAHARA: BOUTEFLIKA TELLS A/S WELCH
ALGERIA WILL NEVER DESTABILIZE MOROCCO
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
SUMMARY
---------
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000503
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PBTS WI MO AG
SUBJECT: (C) WESTERN SAHARA: BOUTEFLIKA TELLS A/S WELCH
ALGERIA WILL NEVER DESTABILIZE MOROCCO
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) President Bouteflika reviewed for NEA A/S Welch March
14 Algeria's views on the Western Sahara. Covering largely
familiar ground, Bouteflika stressed that resolving the
Western Sahara conflict is the UN's responsibility; that
Algeria will never negotiate with Morocco on the Sahrawis'
behalf, rather the negotiations must be between Morocco and
the Polisario; there is no bilateral problem between Morocco
and Algeria; and the Western Sahara will never be a casus
belli for Algeria. While Bouteflika cautioned that a
"victor-vanquished" outcome would damage Moroccan-Algerian
relations for a long time to come, he also assured A/S Welch
that Algeria considers Morocco's stability as its own, and
regards Morocco's stability as depending on the continuation
of the monarchy. In this regard, Bouteflika affirmed that
"Algeria will never destabilize Morocco." End Summary.
"ALGERIA ACCEPTED BAKER PLAN SO THAT
POLISARIO WOULD NOT REJECT IT"
--------------
2. (C) Toward the end of a two-hour meeting with NEA A/S
David Welch March 14, President Bouteflika raised the Western
Sahara. Reviewing familiar points, Bouteflika recalled
President Bush's 2001 request to him to fully support James
Baker's efforts, noting that Algeria had done so. Bouteflika
said Algeria had supported the Baker Plan so that Polisario
would not reject it. Now, however, Morocco claimed the
problem was one between Morocco and Algeria. While Algeria
would be delighted if Morocco could find a solution with the
Polisario, Bouteflika insisted that Algeria was not a direct
party to the dispute and would not negotiate on the Sahrawis'
behalf.
3. (C) Bouteflika went on to state that the UN was
responsible for the issue. If the UN could find a solution
based on UNSCR 1514, "I will be the first to thank them." If
the UN was not serious, however, Bouteflika said he would go
to New York himself to tell the Security Council that Algeria
would always support the Sahrawis' right to
self-determination. As many as 74 countries had recognized
the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco could not
ignore the Polisario.
MOROCCO'S PARTNER MUST BE POLISARIO
--------------
4. (C) Bouteflika said there could never be
Algerian-Moroccan negotiations to resolve the problem and the
Polisario was Morocco's partner in finding a solution. Aside
from that, there were no bilateral problems between Morocco
and Algeria. No one should expect Algeria to "lose its
honor" by engaging Morocco bilaterally on the Western Sahara.
If there were a settlement that made Morocco the victor and
the Polisario the vanquished, this would make
Moroccan-Algerian relations "very difficult" for a long time
to come. Bouteflika assured A/S Welch, as he has said
repeatedly in the past, that the Western Sahara would not be
a casus belli for Algeria.
ALGERIA'S STABILITY DEPENDS ON MOROCCO'S
--------------
5. (C) Bouteflika complained about French support for
Morocco, noting that France's attitude had become a problem
for Algerian-French relations. The solution was with the UN,
not in Algiers nor in Rabat (i.e. Rabat could not impose a
settlement). Despite these concerns, Bouteflika stated,
returning to a policy line that has not been heard here since
Morocco's abrupt cancellation of PM Ouyahia's visit almost a
year ago, that Algeria's stability depended on Morocco's, and
the stability of Morocco depended on the continuation of the
monarchy. "Algeria will never destabilize Morocco,"
Bouteflika stressed.
6. (C) Bouteflika asked the U.S. not to confuse Polisario
with a terrorist organization. Polisario has accepted and
respected all international decisions regarding the Western
Sahara. The U.S. has always supported the right of
self-determination and should do so for the Sahrawis as well.
Indicating a readiness to contribute to a solution,
Bouteflika concluded that the Western Sahara was a complex
problem which Algeria could not shoulder the burden of
resolving on its own.
7. (U) A/S Welch has cleared this message.
ERDMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PBTS WI MO AG
SUBJECT: (C) WESTERN SAHARA: BOUTEFLIKA TELLS A/S WELCH
ALGERIA WILL NEVER DESTABILIZE MOROCCO
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) President Bouteflika reviewed for NEA A/S Welch March
14 Algeria's views on the Western Sahara. Covering largely
familiar ground, Bouteflika stressed that resolving the
Western Sahara conflict is the UN's responsibility; that
Algeria will never negotiate with Morocco on the Sahrawis'
behalf, rather the negotiations must be between Morocco and
the Polisario; there is no bilateral problem between Morocco
and Algeria; and the Western Sahara will never be a casus
belli for Algeria. While Bouteflika cautioned that a
"victor-vanquished" outcome would damage Moroccan-Algerian
relations for a long time to come, he also assured A/S Welch
that Algeria considers Morocco's stability as its own, and
regards Morocco's stability as depending on the continuation
of the monarchy. In this regard, Bouteflika affirmed that
"Algeria will never destabilize Morocco." End Summary.
"ALGERIA ACCEPTED BAKER PLAN SO THAT
POLISARIO WOULD NOT REJECT IT"
--------------
2. (C) Toward the end of a two-hour meeting with NEA A/S
David Welch March 14, President Bouteflika raised the Western
Sahara. Reviewing familiar points, Bouteflika recalled
President Bush's 2001 request to him to fully support James
Baker's efforts, noting that Algeria had done so. Bouteflika
said Algeria had supported the Baker Plan so that Polisario
would not reject it. Now, however, Morocco claimed the
problem was one between Morocco and Algeria. While Algeria
would be delighted if Morocco could find a solution with the
Polisario, Bouteflika insisted that Algeria was not a direct
party to the dispute and would not negotiate on the Sahrawis'
behalf.
3. (C) Bouteflika went on to state that the UN was
responsible for the issue. If the UN could find a solution
based on UNSCR 1514, "I will be the first to thank them." If
the UN was not serious, however, Bouteflika said he would go
to New York himself to tell the Security Council that Algeria
would always support the Sahrawis' right to
self-determination. As many as 74 countries had recognized
the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Morocco could not
ignore the Polisario.
MOROCCO'S PARTNER MUST BE POLISARIO
--------------
4. (C) Bouteflika said there could never be
Algerian-Moroccan negotiations to resolve the problem and the
Polisario was Morocco's partner in finding a solution. Aside
from that, there were no bilateral problems between Morocco
and Algeria. No one should expect Algeria to "lose its
honor" by engaging Morocco bilaterally on the Western Sahara.
If there were a settlement that made Morocco the victor and
the Polisario the vanquished, this would make
Moroccan-Algerian relations "very difficult" for a long time
to come. Bouteflika assured A/S Welch, as he has said
repeatedly in the past, that the Western Sahara would not be
a casus belli for Algeria.
ALGERIA'S STABILITY DEPENDS ON MOROCCO'S
--------------
5. (C) Bouteflika complained about French support for
Morocco, noting that France's attitude had become a problem
for Algerian-French relations. The solution was with the UN,
not in Algiers nor in Rabat (i.e. Rabat could not impose a
settlement). Despite these concerns, Bouteflika stated,
returning to a policy line that has not been heard here since
Morocco's abrupt cancellation of PM Ouyahia's visit almost a
year ago, that Algeria's stability depended on Morocco's, and
the stability of Morocco depended on the continuation of the
monarchy. "Algeria will never destabilize Morocco,"
Bouteflika stressed.
6. (C) Bouteflika asked the U.S. not to confuse Polisario
with a terrorist organization. Polisario has accepted and
respected all international decisions regarding the Western
Sahara. The U.S. has always supported the right of
self-determination and should do so for the Sahrawis as well.
Indicating a readiness to contribute to a solution,
Bouteflika concluded that the Western Sahara was a complex
problem which Algeria could not shoulder the burden of
resolving on its own.
7. (U) A/S Welch has cleared this message.
ERDMAN