DELIVERY OF MESSAGE TO GOM ON TSCTI CONFERENCE

					  C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000330 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (CLASSIFIED BY AND REASON) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016 
TAGS: PREL PTER AG WI AU MO
SUBJECT: DELIVERY OF MESSAGE TO GOM ON TSCTI CONFERENCE 
 
REF: STATE 26538 
 
Classified by DCM Wayne J. Bush.  Reason: 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
					

1. (SBU) On February 17, 2006 visiting NEA/MAG Office
Director William Jordan delivered reftel message on Morocco's
inability to participate in a seminar on terrorism in the
trans-Sahara region cosponsored by the African Center for
Strategic Studies (part of NDU) and the African Union (AU) to
MFA Director of Bilateral Affairs Youssef Amrani (other
issues septel).



2. (SBU) Jordan informed Amrani that the National Defense
University's Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) would
co-sponsor with the African Union (AU) a seminar on terrorism
in the trans-Sahara region taking place February 19-24, 2006
in Algiers. While informing Amrani that Morocco would not be
able to participate in the seminar, Jordan underscored that
Morocco is a vital ally in the war on terror and a key player
in the region and explained that from the outset it was made
clear that a conference on counterterrorism would be
incomplete without Morocco; however, the Polasario's request
to be a full member in the seminar led to ACSS's compromise
with the AU that neither Morocco nor the Polasario would be
able to attend the event. He assured Amrani that future
events on this topic will include Moroccan participation and
offered a read-out of the Algiers seminar to Amrani.



3. (SBU) Amrani thanked Jordan for briefing him on the
conference, and said the GOM looks forward to a read-out of
the seminar. Amrani appeared to be unaware of the event.



4. (C) As a postscript to the Jordan-Amrani exchange on the
conference, King Mohammed dispatched his CT adviser,
Abdellatif Hammouchi, to meet with S/CT Coordinator Crumpton
in Algiers February 19 following Crumpton's delivery of
reftel message to Ambassador Mekouar in Washington.



5. (U) NEA/MAG Director Jordan cleared this message.
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Riley