Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT618
2006-04-07 08:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
EMBASSY OFFICERS DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY WITH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0618/01 0970813 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 070813Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3315 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3882 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2875 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3102 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4127 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 8767 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 1510 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS RABAT 000618
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PBTS MO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY OFFICERS DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY WITH
STUDENTS AT AL-AKHAWAYN UNIVERSITY
UNCLAS RABAT 000618
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PBTS MO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY OFFICERS DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY WITH
STUDENTS AT AL-AKHAWAYN UNIVERSITY
1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
2. (SBU) Summary: Poloffs visited Morocco's prestigious
Al-Akhawayn University on April 3 to meet with faculty and
discuss US-Morocco relations and human rights with
undergraduate and graduate students as part of the mission's
public diplomacy outreach effort. The roughly fifty students
who attended remained engaged for the full two hours and
asked more standard questions ranging from the US policy on
the Western Sahara and the Free Trade Agreement to tougher
questions on Iraq, US human rights violations, and perceived
US support for leading dissident Nadia Yassine. Students
requested that the USG increase efforts to resolve the
Palestinian conflict and the Western Sahara, while others
requested increased funding for programs in Morocco. We hope
this positive exchange will broaden into a regular exchange
with this important university. End Summary.
3. (U) On April 3, Polcouns and Poloff visited Al-Akhawayn
University in Ifrane. This private university is the only
English-language school of higher education in Morocco.
(Note: Ifrane is located in the foothills of the Atlas
mountains two hours from Rabat and was built by the French
ca. 1910.) The purpose of the visit was to meet with the
Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Mohammed Dahbi, and political science and international
relations faculty members as well as to discuss US/Morocco
relations and human rights. The invitation was extended by
Audra Grant, who worked at INR from 1999-2004, and is now an
associate professor of international relations at Akhawayn.
The lecture and discussion were open to the campus of
approximately 1100 students, and was well-advertised; several
faculty required graduate students to participate.
4. (SBU) Polcouns opened with an overview of the US/Morocco
bilateral relationship, describing it as dynamic and
expanding on the basis of partnerships and growing interests
between the two countries. Polcouns encouraged the audience
to view the FTA as an opportunity for Moroccan creativity and
entrepreneurship to shine through. Polcouns stressed US
support for Moroccan reforms and emphasized the US
encouragement for improved relations and better dialogue
between the GOM and Algeria.
5. (SBU) Poloff discussed the human rights reports on
Morocco and the Western Sahara, and distributed copies to the
students. Poloff noted that these reports, along with the
International Religious Freedom and Trafficking in Persons
reports, are readily available on the internet. The fact
that the reports rely on the GOM, national and international
nongovernmental organizations reports, press reports and
individuals' conversations with Missionoffs was stressed.
Recognizing that aspects of the report depend on several
individuals making sound judgments seemed to resonate with
the students. As the process of producing the reports is not
widely understood, Poloff explained this as well.
6. (SBU) The students asked insightful questions, some of
which focused on how the USG views the "Arab" or "Muslim"
World (Umm al-Arabiyya/Dar al-Islam). As the students
represented various religious and political understandings,
according to the faculty members, the variety of their
questions was not surprising. Poloffs emphasized the
positive nature of the bi-lateral relationship and that this
relationship is growing and evolving based on emerging needs
as well as long-term interests.
7. (SBU) Following the robust question and answer period,
which focused primarily on the Western Sahara, the FTA, press
freedoms and specifics in the human rights report, e.g., the
Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER),Polcouns asked
the students if they had any special messages for the USG.
We had several responses: the USG needs to be more involved
in the resolution of the Western Sahara issue, help Morocco
with the "Algerian threat," and it must increase efforts to
resolve the Palestinian conflict. One student said that the
US must "polish its image in the Arab-Muslim world" and
should use a "marketing" perspective. When this student made
her comment, several others nodded in agreement as they did
when another student said that the USG should provide more
funding to Morocco.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PBTS MO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY OFFICERS DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY WITH
STUDENTS AT AL-AKHAWAYN UNIVERSITY
1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
2. (SBU) Summary: Poloffs visited Morocco's prestigious
Al-Akhawayn University on April 3 to meet with faculty and
discuss US-Morocco relations and human rights with
undergraduate and graduate students as part of the mission's
public diplomacy outreach effort. The roughly fifty students
who attended remained engaged for the full two hours and
asked more standard questions ranging from the US policy on
the Western Sahara and the Free Trade Agreement to tougher
questions on Iraq, US human rights violations, and perceived
US support for leading dissident Nadia Yassine. Students
requested that the USG increase efforts to resolve the
Palestinian conflict and the Western Sahara, while others
requested increased funding for programs in Morocco. We hope
this positive exchange will broaden into a regular exchange
with this important university. End Summary.
3. (U) On April 3, Polcouns and Poloff visited Al-Akhawayn
University in Ifrane. This private university is the only
English-language school of higher education in Morocco.
(Note: Ifrane is located in the foothills of the Atlas
mountains two hours from Rabat and was built by the French
ca. 1910.) The purpose of the visit was to meet with the
Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Mohammed Dahbi, and political science and international
relations faculty members as well as to discuss US/Morocco
relations and human rights. The invitation was extended by
Audra Grant, who worked at INR from 1999-2004, and is now an
associate professor of international relations at Akhawayn.
The lecture and discussion were open to the campus of
approximately 1100 students, and was well-advertised; several
faculty required graduate students to participate.
4. (SBU) Polcouns opened with an overview of the US/Morocco
bilateral relationship, describing it as dynamic and
expanding on the basis of partnerships and growing interests
between the two countries. Polcouns encouraged the audience
to view the FTA as an opportunity for Moroccan creativity and
entrepreneurship to shine through. Polcouns stressed US
support for Moroccan reforms and emphasized the US
encouragement for improved relations and better dialogue
between the GOM and Algeria.
5. (SBU) Poloff discussed the human rights reports on
Morocco and the Western Sahara, and distributed copies to the
students. Poloff noted that these reports, along with the
International Religious Freedom and Trafficking in Persons
reports, are readily available on the internet. The fact
that the reports rely on the GOM, national and international
nongovernmental organizations reports, press reports and
individuals' conversations with Missionoffs was stressed.
Recognizing that aspects of the report depend on several
individuals making sound judgments seemed to resonate with
the students. As the process of producing the reports is not
widely understood, Poloff explained this as well.
6. (SBU) The students asked insightful questions, some of
which focused on how the USG views the "Arab" or "Muslim"
World (Umm al-Arabiyya/Dar al-Islam). As the students
represented various religious and political understandings,
according to the faculty members, the variety of their
questions was not surprising. Poloffs emphasized the
positive nature of the bi-lateral relationship and that this
relationship is growing and evolving based on emerging needs
as well as long-term interests.
7. (SBU) Following the robust question and answer period,
which focused primarily on the Western Sahara, the FTA, press
freedoms and specifics in the human rights report, e.g., the
Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER),Polcouns asked
the students if they had any special messages for the USG.
We had several responses: the USG needs to be more involved
in the resolution of the Western Sahara issue, help Morocco
with the "Algerian threat," and it must increase efforts to
resolve the Palestinian conflict. One student said that the
US must "polish its image in the Arab-Muslim world" and
should use a "marketing" perspective. When this student made
her comment, several others nodded in agreement as they did
when another student said that the USG should provide more
funding to Morocco.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley