DEPUTY FM ON UN REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000133 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG, IO/UNP E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2010 TAGS: MO PBTS PGOV PREL SUBJECT: DEPUTY FM ON UN REFORM REF: A. STATE 4745 ¶B. STATE 4746 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Wayne J. Bush for Reasons 1.4 (b ) and (d) ¶1. (C) As instructed reftels, Ambassador called on Moroccan Deputy FM Taieb Fassi Fihri on January 19 to seek Moroccan support for US goals on UN reform. The Ambassador underlined that UN reform was an important issue for the US, and he was raising the issue at a senior level on instruction from Washington. Fassi Fihri was joined by incoming MFA Director for UN Affairs Nasser Bourita, while Ambassador was joined by Polcouns. ¶2. (C) Fassi Fihri responded that Morocco was "one hundred percent" behind US thinking on the Human Rights Council (HRC). Fassi Fihri stressed this was not "mechanical" support for the US. Morocco firmly believed a new HRC would be a positive development. He believed that Moroccan Perm Rep Bennouna had previously indicated Moroccan support to Ambassador Bolton. Bourita noted that Morocco was a member of the current Human Rights Commission and was looking at how best to implement reform and enhance the work of the HRC in a substantive way. ¶3. (C) Fassi Fihri asked about the US position on the expansion of the Security Council. Polcouns responded that the US was open to a modest expansion of the Security Council, provided the new countries were qualified and had strong records in core UN areas, including contributing to peacekeeping operations. We had already expressed our support for a permanent seat for Japan but had not taken a position for or against any other country. Bourita said Morocco had received a paper from India concerning its interest in a seat on the Security Council. ¶4. (C) Bourita noted that Morocco was very involved in efforts to stand up the Peacekeeping Commission, and was following the issue very closely. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador left behind the points in non-paper format on the range of issues discussed in reftels. Bourita told Polcouns he welcomed the opportunity to discuss the issues further if we desired. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** Riley