DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF AUGUST 20 ARAB LEAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001570 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2011 TAGS: PREL LE IS MO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF AUGUST 20 ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL IN CAIRO REF: A. STATE 136507 ¶B. RABAT 01564 Classified By: A/Polcouns C. J. Lenzen, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) A/Polcouns delivered reftel A demarche to Mohammed Azeroual, Director General of Multilateral Relations and Global Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 19. Azeroual confirmed FM Benaissa's attendance at the Arab League meeting in Cairo on August 20 and the GOM's support for UNSC 1701. ¶2. (C) Azeroual confirmed the GOM's invitation and participation in the Stockholm donor's meeting on Lebanon on August 31; however, he wants to know why the GOM was not invited to the donor meeting on Gaza and Palestine the following day. According to Azeroual, it is "very strange" that the GOM is not invited to this meeting as it has attended other donor meetings on Gaza and Palestine. The GOM would like to be represented at this meeting, Azeroual emphasized. ¶3. (C) Azeroual also said that the GOM would like to know specifically what the composition of the UNIFIL forces in Lebanon is, supporting what Minister Delegate Taieb Fassi Fihri said on August 16 (reftel B). The GOM, according to Azeroual, is seeking details from the US within the near term. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** RILEY