Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS7918
2006-12-28 09:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH DOUBT GOA/POLISARIO WILL AGREE TO A REFUGEE
how-toVZCZCXRO5393 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHFR #7918 3620944 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 280944Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3966 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1072
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007918
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2016
TAGS: PHUM AG FR PHUM PREF PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH DOUBT GOA/POLISARIO WILL AGREE TO A REFUGEE
CENSUS
REF: STATE 201212
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Bruce Turner, reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 007918
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2016
TAGS: PHUM AG FR PHUM PREF PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH DOUBT GOA/POLISARIO WILL AGREE TO A REFUGEE
CENSUS
REF: STATE 201212
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Bruce Turner, reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Christian Testo,
MFA DAS-equivalent for the Maghreb on December 28. Testo
agreed that resolving the number of Sahrawi refugees in
Algeria is "a critical question," but doubted that the
Polisario would agree to a census outside the context of a
final resolution to the Western Sahara conflict. The
Polisario, he added, are clearly worried that a census would
reveal the presence of fewer Sahrawi refugees than claimed
and thus weaken the Polisario's political clout.
2. (C) Testo predicted that the Algerians would be even less
flexible than the Polisario on a census. "If you press them
on the census, I expect they will respond politely and find
excuses for doing nothing. If we (i.e., France) press them,
they will accuse us of working for the Moroccans," he said.
In sum, the French diplomat said he saw no room for maneuver:
"The Algerians will not budge."
3. (C) Returning to his mention of Morocco, Testo noted that
the Quai took advantage of a mid-December visit by the
Moroccan PM to stress that Morocco's autonomy plan for the
Western Sahara (due to be unveiled in early 2007) must be
credible. "We told them that it was a given that Algeria and
the Polisario would reject the plan whatever its content, so
they shouldn't worry about that. Instead, they should focus
on making the plan credible enough to win the backing of the
international community, which would put Morocco in the
stronger diplomatic position," said Testo.
4. (C) Anticipating that the Algerians and Polisario would
continue to resist entering direct negotiations with Morocco
even after the appearance of the Moroccan autonomy plan,
Testot suggested that an expanded set of talks (e.g.,
incorporating key actors in the international community)
might be a means of bringing the parties to the table.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
HOFMANN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2016
TAGS: PHUM AG FR PHUM PREF PREL
SUBJECT: FRENCH DOUBT GOA/POLISARIO WILL AGREE TO A REFUGEE
CENSUS
REF: STATE 201212
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Bruce Turner, reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Christian Testo,
MFA DAS-equivalent for the Maghreb on December 28. Testo
agreed that resolving the number of Sahrawi refugees in
Algeria is "a critical question," but doubted that the
Polisario would agree to a census outside the context of a
final resolution to the Western Sahara conflict. The
Polisario, he added, are clearly worried that a census would
reveal the presence of fewer Sahrawi refugees than claimed
and thus weaken the Polisario's political clout.
2. (C) Testo predicted that the Algerians would be even less
flexible than the Polisario on a census. "If you press them
on the census, I expect they will respond politely and find
excuses for doing nothing. If we (i.e., France) press them,
they will accuse us of working for the Moroccans," he said.
In sum, the French diplomat said he saw no room for maneuver:
"The Algerians will not budge."
3. (C) Returning to his mention of Morocco, Testo noted that
the Quai took advantage of a mid-December visit by the
Moroccan PM to stress that Morocco's autonomy plan for the
Western Sahara (due to be unveiled in early 2007) must be
credible. "We told them that it was a given that Algeria and
the Polisario would reject the plan whatever its content, so
they shouldn't worry about that. Instead, they should focus
on making the plan credible enough to win the backing of the
international community, which would put Morocco in the
stronger diplomatic position," said Testo.
4. (C) Anticipating that the Algerians and Polisario would
continue to resist entering direct negotiations with Morocco
even after the appearance of the Moroccan autonomy plan,
Testot suggested that an expanded set of talks (e.g.,
incorporating key actors in the international community)
might be a means of bringing the parties to the table.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
HOFMANN