Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT1329
2006-07-12 17:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ROYAL ADVISOR MEZIANE

Tags:  PGOV PREL ETRD KDEM MO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3231
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4285
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 3456
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 8964
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0088
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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0564
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 001329 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD KDEM MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ROYAL ADVISOR MEZIANE
BELFQIH

REF: A. 05 RABAT 356

B. RABAT 1105

C. RABAT 308

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 001329

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD KDEM MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ROYAL ADVISOR MEZIANE
BELFQIH

REF: A. 05 RABAT 356

B. RABAT 1105

C. RABAT 308

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Building on his early 2005 meeting,
Ambassador met July 11 with Palace Advisor Meziane Belfqih to
discuss his views on US-Moroccan relations, recent GOM
crackdowns on Justice and Charity Organization (JCO)
activities, and the 2007 parliamentary elections. Belfqih
said his March 2006 comments regarding US-Moroccan relations
had been misreported by the press and that his intent was to
encourage Moroccans to think about diversifying relations
beyond traditional allies in Europe. Turning to the JCO,
Belfqih said that recent JCO activities represent an attempt
to test the established limits, which it does "from time to
time." Belfqih delivered a detailed description of the draft
electoral code, explaining that it is a step towards the
transition of the political environment to "several" coherent
political blocs. While stressing that the details of the
electoral code are important, Belfqih explained that it is
more important for Morocco that elections be clear,
transparent, and fair. Belfqih thanked the Ambassador for
his review of the IRI poll's objectives. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On July 11, Ambassador met with Palace Advisor
Meziane Belfqih to review current US-Moroccan relations and
the state of play on domestic political issues, including the
2007 election preparations, current crackdown on JCO
activities, and US support for the electoral process.
Ambassador was accompanied by Poloff (notetaker) during the
ninety-minute meeting, while Belfqih was accompanied by his
assistant Reda Hamedoun. On economic issues, Ambassador
explained the benefits and advantages to the Moroccan
population of the US-Morocco Free-Trade Agreement and the
Millennium Challenge Account. Belfqih welcomed the remarks,
saying he thinks Morocco is on a "good trend" with respect to
its development on social, economic, and political issues.



3. (C) Press articles concerning a speech he delivered in
March reportedly suggesting that Morocco should reevaluate
its policy with the US were inaccurate and taken out of
context, Belfqih said. Hamedoun, Belfqih's assistant, added
that having a free press also means that journalists are free
to publish inaccurate stories. Belfqih explained, first and
foremost, that his comments were meant for a Moroccan
audience. He said his intention was to explain to all
Moroccans that Morocco must diversify its relations in order
to further its development and progress on political,
economic, and social issues. Morocco cannot continue to rely
on the support of Europe, he said. Continuing his line that
the comments were meant to spark interest in the United
States, Belfqih said he wanted to urge Moroccans to search
out more opportunities to work with the US, adding "it is
necessary to do more with the US."

--------------
JCO: Doing Big Things
--------------


4. (C) The Ambassador raised the recent police and Ministry
of Interior orchestrated crackdowns on the Justice and
Charity Organization (JCO) activities across Morocco (ref B),
asking if this represented a shift in GOM policy towards the
JCO. In response, Belfqih dismissed the idea that the GOM
has changed its policy, but said that recent JCO activities
-- referring to the "Open Doors" campaign -- represent an
increase in magnitude of their public activities. "They are
doing things on a larger scale," he said. Belfqih argued
that much like the JCO's support in the summer of 2003 of an
initiative to segregate beaches into sections for males and
females, the recent increase in JCO activities could be
viewed as the JCO testing the limits, trying to see what the
public and government will accept. The JCO does this "from
time to time," he said. When pressed by the Ambassador,
Belfqih explained that in his view the JCO's internal dynamic
is complex and not all supporters agree on the JCO's future
and the objectives of the organization.

RABAT 00001329 002 OF 003




5. (C) In response to Belfqih's question concerning JCO
representative Nadia Yassine's recent trip to the United
States, Ambassador explained that her trip was completely
private, was not sponsored by the USG, nor did she visit the
Department of State. Belfqih jokingly replied, "why would
she visit the Department of State?" In addition, Belfqih
said "her republic is more like the republic of Ayatollah
Khomeini." Briefly turning to the JCO's spiritual leader
Abdessalam Yassine, Belfqih said, "nobody is eternal, not
even him." Belfqih closed the discussion on the JCO by
warning that it is necessary to be "alert, and not naive"
when it comes to the JCO.

--------------
2007 Legislative Elections
--------------


6. (C) Turning the conversation towards the 2007 legislative
elections, Belfqih said he has full confidence that the
elections will be successful, adding that "there is no need
to worry." Belfqih noted the draft electoral code had been
recently submitted to parliament. (NOTE: The
government-drafted electoral code was submitted July 6 to
parliament for discussion and adoption, after being approved
by the Council of Government and Council of Ministers
respectively. END NOTE.) Belfqih explained that, in order to
run for office in 2007, a candidate must belong to a party
that is already represented in parliament, received at least
three percent of the popular vote in 2002; or, if the
candidate belongs to a party with no members of parliament,
the candidate must obtain 500 signatures (400 from voters and
100 from elected officials) to validate participation in the
2007 elections. In addition, for a political party to be
represented in parliament in 2007 the party must receive at
least seven percent of the total vote.


7. (C) Belfqih said that the new electoral code is a
conscious step to reduce the 28 plus registered political
parties now operating in Morocco and to move towards
"several" coherent political blocs. Everyone is in
agreement, he said, that in 10 or 15 years Morocco's
political landscape will be one with strong conservative,
centrist, and leftist blocs that will facilitate the work of
government and be more efficient than the current system. He
also explained the principal question remaining, and one that
political parties continually debate, as "how does Morocco
arrive at 3 unified blocs?" The current ruling majority, led
by the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP),believes
this vision can be best achieved if smaller political parties
are consolidated into the "larger" parties that already
exist, Belfqih said. Belfqih, for his part, said that in the
future there will be two blocs left standing: one lead by the
PJD and the other lead by the "left" because these two
movements are the best structured today. While acknowledging
that percentage thresholds embodied in the electoral code are
important, Belfqih stressed that it is more important that
the 2007 and subsequent elections are clear, transparent, and
fair. He said the real key for Morocco is that it makes
progress, adding that too much change too quickly only serves
to confuse voters.

--------------
IRI Poll and Voter Concerns
--------------


8. (C) On the International Republican Institute (IRI) poll,
which generated substantial comment in the Moroccan press
after summaries of it appeared in the March 18 issue of
Moroccan French-language weekly Le Journal (ref C),
Ambassador reviewed the objectives of the poll and explained
that it was done to benefit the political parties. Belfqih
appreciated the explanation, thanking the Ambassador for
clarifying several misconceptions about the poll and its
results, particularly the theoretical vote question showing a
large percentage of undecided voters are leaning towards the
PJD. Belfqih, who was clearly intrigued by the PJD question,
said it is important to know that the PJD is seen by voters
to be a "refuge" party.

RABAT 00001329 003 OF 003


9. (C) Belfqih added that the RI poll was particularly
interesting because the GOM had done a survey celebrating the
50-year anniversary of Morocco's independence where the
population was asked a set of similar questions. According
to Belfqih, the survey showed that the public has more
confidence in the work of NGOs than they do in political
parties. He wondered why this is the case and how this can
be changed. While highlighting IRI results showing job
creation and unemployment as the main concerns for
respondents, and that it was "the government" that was cited
as being responsible for solving the problem, Ambassador
stressed the importance of political parties using this
valuable knowledge when formulating their platforms for the
2007 elections. Belfqih, in response, said he is sure
unemployment and job creation will be present in all of the
campaigns, however, what remains to be seen is how credible
discourse will be. Belfqih argued that candidates must go
beyond rhetoric, saying "they must go further" and provide
specifics on how to fight unemployment. In closing, Belfqih
disclosed that the government is in the process of drafting a
law on polling that it hopes to get through parliament
"quickly."

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


10. (C) Although traditionally viewed as the palace expert
on education issues, Belfqih's in-depth knowledge and
authoritative comments on key issues like US-Moroccan
relations, the JCO, and the 2007 elections demonstrates that
his influence probably extends well beyond his portfolio.
Raising the issue of his March 2006 comments on US-Moroccan
relations, Belfqih's response seemed at times scripted and
bordered on disingenuous. It appeared the main objective of
the meeting for Belfqih was to assuage any concerns regarding
US-Moroccan relations. Belfqih's comments on the Moroccan
political landscape in 10 to 15 years are telling, not only
shedding light on previous comments about a "transparent
majority" leading the country, but also highlighting that the
transition of Morocco's political parties will be gradual and
steady, at least in the Palace's view.
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RILEY