Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT986
2006-05-23 12:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PARTY OF PROGRESS AND

Tags:  PGOV PREL PBTS MO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0986/01 1431203
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231203Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3804
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 3997
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2951
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 5500
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3177
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4210
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 8886
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 1716
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000986 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PARTY OF PROGRESS AND
SOCIALISM LEADER

REF: A. 04 RABAT 02057

B. RABAT 308

C. RABAT 719 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Poloff Marcel Martinez for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000986

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PARTY OF PROGRESS AND
SOCIALISM LEADER

REF: A. 04 RABAT 02057

B. RABAT 308

C. RABAT 719 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Poloff Marcel Martinez for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: The Ambassador met May 19
for one hour with Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS)
secretary general Ismail Alaoui at the party's headquarters

SIPDIS
in Rabat. The Ambassador was accompanied by Poloff
(notetaker),while Alaoui was joined by PPS executive
committee member Mustapha Labraimi. This call is a
continuation of the Ambassador's recent round of calls 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. Commenting on the IRI poll, Alaoui
noted that "certain" media outlets have used the poll for
their own interests, and as a result political parties were
obliged to respond to the Moroccan public opinion. Labraimi
added that despite the results of the poll regarding the
potential PJD strong showing at the polls, the PPS, in
collaboration with their Koutla and Socialist Alliance
partners, is very confident that they will be successful in

2007. Alaoui added that, in his opinion, the PJD lacks
honesty and frankness with respect to public opinion.
Commenting on the political party law, Alaoui stressed that
party mergers pose problems for political parties and that he
favors strong alliances over mergers, pointing to the
reported difficulties the Berber UMP is facing in completely
fusing into one single party. END SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION.

IRI Poll: Well Done, But Being Manipulated
--------------


2. (C) On the International Republican Institute (IRI) poll,
summaries of which appeared in the March 18 issue of Moroccan
French-language weekly Le Journal (reftel b) and which has
continued to generate substantial comment in the Moroccan
press, Alaoui said that "certain" media outlets and
journalists have manipulated the situation to help serve
their own purposes. Alaoui explained that as a result of the

poll's appearance in Le Journal, political parties were
obliged to respond to Moroccan public opinion. He argued
that this resulted in some political parties having to react
and make comments for public consumption, but warned that
these comments should not be read as the true feelings of
political parties. Alaoui believed that IRI had done a good
job and did not discredit the techniques used in the poll.
He also expressed his party's thanks to IRI for presenting
the results to the PPS leadership well in advance of the poll
making its public appearance. He explained, however, that he
understands how the results can be misconstrued in Morocco.
He said Morocco is not yet a culture accustomed to polling
(NB: this sentiment was shared by several other political
party leaders),adding, "Some people are scared of polling
and don't always say what they are really thinking." Alaoui
said that, nevertheless, the poll demonstrated to his party
that they still have "a lot of work to do," and the PPS needs
to better understand the concerns of its constituents.


3. (C) The Ambassador highlighted that the poll showed that
jobs and unemployment were overwhelmingly the main concern
for respondents, and that it was "the government" who was
cited as responsible for solving this problem. The
Ambassador asked if the PPS had the intention of integrating
this concern into their party platform. Alaoui responded
that the PPS has proposed several ideas on this topic, bu
noted that there is a fundamental difference inmentality
between Morocco and the United States. Alaoui explained that
Morocco has a long history of living under a centralized
French system of gvernance, arguing in fact that Morocco's
indepenence from France did not change this approach, but
only served to reinforce this mindset.


4. (C Alaoui continued that the PPS has a two-pronged
economic program to help decrease unemployment in Mrocco.
First, the PPS supports an environment whre both the public
and private sectors would wor in concert to create more
jobs, for example by romoting small- to medium-sized
enterprises. Second, the PPS believes there should be a
convergene of forces between business owners, workers
unins and the government to better understand the

fundamental factors causing high unemployment. Alaoui said
this approach would be akin to Roosevelt's New Deal programs
following the Great Depression. The PPS, according to
Alaoui, also recognizes the intellectual deficit Morocco
faces and plans to consider proposals that will tackle this
deficit. The Ambassador explained and stressed the benefits
for Morocco and Moroccan citizens of the Millennium Challenge
Account (MCA),and Alaoui responded that the PPS fully
supports the MCA, as well as the goals of the King's Human
Development Initiative (INDH). Alaoui added there is a
necessity that jobs created by any program be durable, not
jobs that are day-to-day with no stability. The Ambassador
also pressed Alaoui on the need for Morocco to regularize the
large informal sector.

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


5. (C) Alaoui explained that the PPS party congress April
21-23 was a success, and he was reelected as secretary
general of the party. Alaoui said the party is serious about
increasing the number of youth and women in the party, a
likely effort to increase its base supporters in the run up
to the 2007 elections. PPS executive committee member
Mustapha Labraimi piped up and said that despite what the IRI
poll suggest about the PJD, he has confidence that the Koutla
(NB: The Koutla is the "democratic bloc" alliance between the
USFP, Istiqlal, and PPS) and the Socialist Alliance (NB: The
Socialist Alliance is the parliamentary group including the
PPS and Al Ahd) will have a strong showing in 2007. Alaoui,
however, explained that the PJD has two factors working in
its favor. First, the PJD will continue to enjoy popularity
among the masses simply because it is in the opposition.
Second, the PJD's ideology is an ideology shared by most
Moroccans. However, the PJD lacks honesty and frankness with
respect to public opinion, and the PPS does not see an
alliance with the PJD in its future, according to Alaoui.

Mergers Pose Problems
--------------


6. (C) On the recently passed political party law, Alaoui
noted that what is really needed is stronger alliances
between political parties. Alaoui pointed to the
difficulties that the Popular Movement Union (UMP) is
reportedly experiencing with their transition from a
three-party alliance to a single party. Alaoui explained
that mergers pose problems and that smooth fusions are hard
to realize. Alaoui argued that the best route is a system of
strongly allied parties, where parties would establish a
"common action plan" to which people can subscribe or not
subscribe. Much like his comments on polling, Alaoui
believed that Morocco is not yet ready for complete mergers
between political parties, in part because the procedures and
rules are not completely understood. Alaoui said,
"Unfortunately for Morocco, there is a national paranoia that
exists."


7. (C) The Ambassador asked what impact the new political
party law would have on Moroccan political parties and on the
upcoming elections. Alaoui said the new law was not yet
being implemented but believed it would have little impact.
The Ambassador pressed, asking about the five percent minimum
vote requirement. Alaoui responded that the five percent
minimum would impact funding for the party but not its
legality. He said the PPS would continue to exist even if it
did not achieve the five percent threshold in the upcoming
election (comment: the IRI poll projects a one percent vote
tally for the PPS),a surprisingly naive (or perhaps
disingenuous) response.
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Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
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Riley