BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY MEET

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001774

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2011
TAGS: PGOV PINR PINS ECON MO
SUBJECT: BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY MEET
WITH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS


Classified By: DCM WAYNE BUSH, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary: On September 14, the thirteen member
Business Executives for National Security (BENS) group met
with Abdallah Saleddine Tazi, Director of American Affairs,
Wassane Zailachi, Chief of the North America, Mexico and
Central America Division, Karim Halim, Counselor in the
Directorate of Bilateral Relations, in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. In a separate meeting, BENS also met with
Adil Douiri Minister of Tourism, and Rachid Talbi Alami,
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. The BENS group
was accompanied by DAO, Poloff (note taker) and Econoff
(note taker). The group was particularly interested in the
government of Morocco's (GOM) multi-dimensional strategy
for combating terrorism. The members of the GOM discussed
the economic and social development in the country as the
primary means through which extremist activities can be
curtailed. End Summary.


2. (U) Participants:

Members of the BENS group

General Charles G. Boyd, USAF, Ret. Head of Delegation and
former EUCOM DCDR
Stanley A. Weiss, Chairman of American Premier, Inc.
Eric K. Fanning, Executive Vice President, BENS
Mark Newman, President and CEO of DRS Technologies, Inc
Donald V. Smith, Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin
Robert S. Cohn, founder of Octel Communications Corporation
Alfred G. Goldstein, President AG Associates
Frank W. Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Strategies
Business Unit
Kenneth Moscow, President, American Venture Corporation
Stephen J. Shapiro, Managing Partner, The Buckingham Hotel
Major General Frank J. Grass, EUCOM Escort Officer,
Director of Mobilization and Reserves Component Affairs


Government of Morocco

Rachid Talbi Alami, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic
Affairs
Adil Douiri, Minister of Tourism
Abdallah Saleddine Tazi, Director of American Affairs
Wassane Zailachi, Director North America, Mexico and
Central America
Karim Halim, Counselor for Bi-lateral Affairs and
Counterterrorism

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Background
--------------


3. (C) Boyd described BENS as a group of volunteer
business people who look at the economic environment within
the context of national security without the intention of
conducting any business. Members of BENS travel to places
where there are security concerns to broaden the members'
understanding of specific regions and to assist in shaping
US opinion, according to Boyd. Since 2004, when BENS last
visited Morocco, members have visited Iraq, Afghanistan,
Israel, Jordan, Syria, North African countries and the
Caspian basin area. In particular, Boyd said, BENS is
interested in areas where there are hydrocarbons and where
instability may occur.

--------------
The Office of the Prime Minister's View
--------------


4. (C) Minister of Tourism Adil Douiri and Deputy Prime
Minister for Economic Affairs Rachid Talbi Alami hosted
BENS members at the Office of the Prime Minister to discuss
the GOM's "multi-phase" strategy for combating terrorism.
Douiri explained that short-term efforts included Ministry
of Interior and intelligence activities, medium-term plans
were focused on increasing economic growth, and long-term
operations emphasized education.


5. (C) Douiri acknowledged that Morocco's problems with
terrorism were homegrown and often entailed three stages of
"brainwashing." First, he said, the importance of religion
was elevated among recruits, then support for foreign
conflicts, which were "fertile breeding grounds" for


terrorism, such as Iraq. Finally, the process of
rationalization was introduced to encourage the
introduction of the same or similar types of "battle" into
Morocco. Douiri emphasized that this only involved a small
number of people, was not limited to the poor, and was not
caused by local religious schools. He listed numerous
statistics to demonstrate that Morocco's economy had been
improving for several years, although regional disparities
exist, implying that efforts to fight terrorism were
working.


6. (C) Douiri said the GOM paid the salaries of imams to
help show its support for mosques, and therefore reduce the
chances of Imams feeling neglected, which might lead to
their radicalization. He added that salaries had recently
been increased and that the GOM had begun to offer training
courses for imams. In addition, he said that the Ministry
of Islamic Affairs was working to increase its influence in
mosques, especially to ensure that the Friday sermons were
constructive. The Ministry of Education is also working to
ensure that school books give a balanced message regarding
religion, according to Douiri. The BENS members were
impressed by the GOM's efforts, but expressed concern that
some Arab satellite television channels could be a
destabilizing influence in Morocco.


7. (C) BENS was concerned about the "role the GOM plays
in de-radicalizing extremists. Tazi said that the GOM
cooperates with all of its allies to fight terrorism and
note that linking security and business issues had not been
raised. Halim informed the BENS group that the GOM is
signatore to thirteen UN conventions relating to
terrorism. He also said that the GOM fights terrorism in a
multi-dimensional manner, emphasizing the king's reform
agenda and the socio-economic development of the country as
ways to counter extremist ideology. Tazi noted that the
general Moroccan population is beginning to understand that
the reduction of poverty is one way of eliminating the
spread of extremist ideas. Tazi identified terrorists as
being from "outside Morocco"; he explained that expatriate
Moroccans are recruited when they are abroad and that the
GOM does not think of them as Moroccans.
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RILEY