ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT: MOROCCAN RESPONSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000519 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/IPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016 TAGS: PREL IZ SU MO SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT: MOROCCAN RESPONSE REF: A. STATE 45370 ¶B. RABAT 331 Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) DCM met March 22 with MFA Director General for Multilateral Relations Mohamed Azeroual to stress the importance of ref(a) issues for the upcoming Arab League (AL) meeting in Khartoum. Azeroual confirmed that FM Benaissa will lead the Moroccan delegation as King Mohammed is currently "busy" (in the Western Sahara) and that he himself will also participate. ¶2. (C) On Sudan, DCM stressed the importance of achieving a peace accord, providing more AL support for AMIS, and recognizing the utility of a UN peacekeeping operation composed largely of African, Arab and Asian troops. Azeroual acknowledged that the GOM does not have a firm position on the issue, noting that during last week's CENSAD meeting in Rabat, the Moroccans did not have a bilateral meeting with the Sudanese Minister Delegate who attended. Referring to the African Union (AU),Azeroual said that what happens in Sudan is between Khartoum and Addis Ababa as Morocco does not belong to the AU. ¶3. (C) On Iraq, DCM stressed ref(a) points including the need for Iran and Syria to take measures to end support for the Iraqi insurgency. Azeroual asserted that the current Iraqi government is completely under Iranian influence. However, he did not believe that the Sunni, Shia and Kurds would accept this situation in the long run. ¶4. (C) On the Israeli-Palestinian situation, DCM stressed the importance of Hamas abiding by the principles laid out by the Quartet. He noted that the Islamist Party for Justice and Development (PJD) had recently invited some Hamas members to Morocco as part of a larger conference on Islamist movements. While the AL should send a clear message to Hamas through the AL, it would be inopportune for the GOM to meet with these representatives, the DCM said. If a meeting occurred, we hoped that a strong message would be passed to them on accepting the Quartet principles (ref b). Azeroual responded that the PJD, not the government, had invited the Hamas representatives, and he did not/not expect any meetings with GOM officials. He explained that the GOM agreed that Hamas must recognize Israel as a state, recognize all international agreements, including the Roadmap, as committed to by the Palestinian Authority, and renounce violence. The problem, however, is that in the meantime the Palestinian people, not Hamas, are suffering and now can't even find bread in Gaza. We need to ensure assistance reaches the four million Palestinians, of which Hamas is only a small part, said Azeroual. At the same time, Azeroual noted, Hamas needs to cooperate with Abu Mazen to try to reach a compromise which serves the interests of the Palestinian people. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** Riley