AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH NATIONAL RALLY OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000663

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2006
TAGS: PGOV PREL MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH NATIONAL RALLY OF
INDEPENDENTS LEADER

REF: A. 04 RABAT 2031

B. RABAT 00617

C. RABAT 00662

Classified By: A/Polcouns Cynthia Kierscht for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: The Ambassador met April 5
with National Rally of Independents (RNI) party leader and
former prime minister Ahmed Osman at his residence in Rabat.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Poloff (notetaker),while
Osman was unaccompanied. This is the fourth in a round of
calls the Ambassador is making on political party leaders to
discuss party proposals for a Western Sahara autonomy plan,
the impact of the recently passed political party law, and
party plans for the 2007 legislative elections. Much like the
Ambassador's 2004 call (reftel),Osman did not appear fully
engaged on the issues discussed during this meeting and was
somewhat uninformed on his party's current internal
maneuverings. After briefly discussing RNI's autonomy
proposal, Osman mentioned he received April 4 approximately
20 Sahrawis who were in Rabat seeking an audience with the
King to express their concerns over the manner in which Royal
Consultative Council on Sahrawi Affairs' (CORCAS) members had
been selected. Osman explained that the group's main point
of contention was that the selections were done hastily and
in a disorganized manner. Osman expressed his belief that
the Western Sahara conflict is a "fake" problem being
perpetuated by Algeria, and in his view, the conflict was
solved in 1975 with the signing of the Madrid Treaty. On the
new political party law, Osman said it is unlikely to
dramatically change the current political landscape, but that
some of RNI's internal mechanisms would be changing to better
comply with the law. According to Osman, RNI is in the
process of preparing for the 2007 legislative elections,
including internal discussions about a potential alliance
with the Party for Justice and Development (PJD). END
SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION.

CORCAS Selection Process Brings Concerns
--------------


2. (C) While acknowledging that RNI had recently sent a
document to the palace outlining the party's views on
autonomy, Osman was slow to provide any details on the plan
other than "the document has been submitted and it contains
precise ideas." (COMMENT: Osman's inability to provide
substantive comments on RNI's proposal is likely due to his
unfamiliarity with the proposal, rather than a desire to keep
RNI views private. END COMMENT.) Osman, however, was quick
to note that RNI was one of the first political parties to
recommend the idea of regionalization in the Moroccan
context, referring back to the party's early days after its
creation in 1978. In this context, Osman explained that the
late King Hassan II was an stanch proponent of the West
German experience after World War II and wanted Morocco to
eventually have a system of "advanced regionalization," where
nearly all activities would be decentralized.


3. (C) Commenting on the Royal Consultative Council for
Sahrawi Affairs (CORCAS),Osman mentioned that he had
received April 4 at his office a group of approximately 20
disgruntled Sahrawis, who had been members of the former
council and who traveled to Rabat to request an audience with
King Mohammed VI to express their concerns. Osman explained
that he placed a call to the King, but was unable to reach
him. After meeting with the group, Osman explained, he sent
a letter to the palace on the group's behalf outlining their
concerns about not being chosen as part of the current
CORCAS. The group's main complaint was that the selection
process for CORCAS members was done hastily and in a
disorganized manner. Osman added that he was not impressed
with the selection of Khali Henna Ould Er-Rachid, who at one
time was a member of RNI and presumably known by Osman, as
president of the council. Despite probing, Osman did not
provide further details on his disappointment with Khali
Henna's appointment. Osman explained, in his view, the way
in which members were "selected," and not elected, to CORCAS
poses security and stability problems for the government of
Morocco. The Ambassador stressed that the group of
disgruntled Sahrawis presents a great opportunity for the GOM
to hear out their concerns, and perhaps choose one of them to
the council in an effort to have a broader representation of
views on the council.


Algeria Is The Obstacle
--------------


4. (C) According to Osman, the Western Sahara conflict is a
"fake" problem, continued by Algeria, that has caused too
much pain, both physically and economically, for the
government and the citizens of Morocco. In his mind, the
Madrid Treaty, signed with Spain and Mauritania in 1975
solved the issue of the Western Sahara. "The conflict was
finished in 1975," he said. He believes that this "fake"
problem can be solved if it were not for "the obstacles on
the Algerian side." Osman pointed out that Algeria is one of
the last countries in the world controlled by the military,
and the time where this type of rule can be tolerated is
"finished." When asked if Morocco's strategy for autonomy
had changed recently, Osman said he can see a situation where
Morocco is put in a position where they cannot negotiate any
longer and must move forward with autonomy. There will be
nothing, i.e. no negotiations, to support because of
Algeria's actions, he said. The Ambassador stressed that all
parties cannot continue on a course where nobody is willing
to take positive steps forward, adding that it is necessary
to have a solution that is negotiated by all parties. Osman
agreed with the Ambassador's points.

RNI Welcomes Political Party Law
--------------


5. (C) When asked how the recently passed political party
law would change the current political landscape, Osman
admitted that he was not very familiar with the text and had
not yet viewed all the details of the new law. Osman,
however, commented that in principle he did not believe the
law would dramatically change the political environment. He
expressed his party's pleasure that the threshold for
political parties to receive government funding was decided
to be 5 percent, noting that this was the level RNI
originally supported, while some of the larger political
parties, including USFP and Istiqlal, had supported a 10
percent threshold.


6. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's question about the
validity of recent press claiming that some party members
were unhappy with his leadership and wanted a change of
leadership within RNI, Osman replied that he was not worried
about this incident because this was caused by 3 or 4 party
radicals who wanted to create a story for the press. Osman
shared that RNI will be holding a meeting of its central
committee on May 13 in an effort to better comply with the
new political party law. According to Osman, RNI has not
always followed the rules, but this would change with the new
law. Osman noted that the upcoming meeting in May is
important because it has been a "very long time" since RNI
held its last meeting and there are "lots of things to
change" within RNI's party structure. "People have left the
party and others have died," he said.

Eye on 2007?
--------------


7. (C) Osman commented that RNI was in the process of
starting its preparations for the 2007 legislative elections,
but noted that he is not intimately involved in this because
it has been a long time since he has ran for office, thus he
does not focus on the elections process very much. Osman
explained that in the run up to the 2007 elections it is very
likely that coalitions will form. In particular, he said that
RNI has thought about and discussed internally an alliance
with the Party for Justice and Development (PJD). In a
possible attempt to couch his PJD alliance comment, Osman
said, "it is necessary to know that RNI has good relations
with all parties." On his future as leader of RNI, Osman
said he will remain at the helm of his party so long as the
people want him to continue in the position. "The people,
especially in the provinces, want me to stay," he said.
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Riley