MOROCCO/IRAQ: NO REVELATIONS BUT ZEBARI GETS

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002259 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2016 TAGS: PREL IZ IR SY MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO/IRAQ: NO REVELATIONS BUT ZEBARI GETS PLEDGE OF POLITICAL SUPPORT REF: A. SECSTATE 196230 ¶B. RABAT 2218 Classified By: Classified by Craig Karp for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) MFA Director General for Middle East and International Organizations Mohammed Azeroual briefed Polcouns December 13 on the December 6-8 visit to Morocco of Iraqi FM Hoshiyar Zebari. Azeroual said Zebari paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Abdel Wahed Radi and had a working meeting with Foreign Minister Benaissa. ¶2. (C) Azeroual said FM Benaissa pledged continuing Government of Morocco support for the fledgling Iraqi government. The Moroccan MFA will continue and expand its program of in-service training for Iraqi diplomats (ref. B). Although the Iraq Study Group report came out at this time, Zebari said nothing about the report or about relations with the USG. He indicated that the national unity government is determined to persevere and succeed. Azeroual noted, however, that he understood other Kurdish leaders had heavily criticized the ISG report. Otherwise, there were no significant developments or revelations during the visit. ¶3. (C) Following up on his earlier personal observations ref. B, Azeroual recalled his experiences with multilateral Arab diplomacy (including a joint effort with Algeria to help mediate the Lebanese Civil War). He thought Syria was not as capable of making trouble as was commonly believed. Conversely, as a former Ambassador to Iran, he believed Teheran's appetite and assets for mischief were unlimited. He did not think the Arab League would be able to make a significant contribution to a resolution in Iraq; past efforts had proven fruitless. ¶4. (U) Polcouns conveyed USG views and passed the executive summary of the ISG report (reftel A). ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** Riley