ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT BRISTLES AT WARDEN MESSAGE ...

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001825 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/26/2017 TAGS: CASC PTER ASEC PREL AG SUBJECT: ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT BRISTLES AT WARDEN MESSAGE ... AGAIN REF: SECSTATE 169912 ¶1. (C) Ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 26 to meet with Fatiha Selmane, Director General of the MFA's Americas Division. Selmane said that she was instructed by her superiors to express Algerian "displeasure" with the latest warden message sent out by the Embassy on December 23. Specifically, Selmane said she understood and respected the Embassy's need to communicate with American citizens in Algeria, but asked why the warden message needed to be publicized on the website, implying that excessive publicity was alarmist and hence undermining Algeria's effort to fight terrorism. Ambassador responded by providing Selmane with copies of 7 FAM 51.3 and 7 FAM 58.3 which outline the procedures for releasing warden and travel warning messages. The Ambassador explained the double standard policy, and Selmane acknowledged that foreigners in Algiers were justifiably concerned with the security situation. Selmane also pledged to support the Ambassador's request for increased perimeter security around the Embassy's housing compound, which the Ambassador stressed as a tripwire that could conceivably trigger the departures of Embassy dependents. Ambassador reiterated our strong support for Algeria's work fighting terrorism and said if the GOA needed specific kinds of new assistance we would be open to discussing those needs. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: This is not the first time the MFA has bristled at our warden messages. However, this time their reaction was far more tempered than it was after the April 11 bombings. It is clear to us that the GOA is deeply worried about the possibility of foreign diplomats and multinational corporations leaving Algiers due to security concerns. At the same time, the MFA recognizes the fact that many other diplomatic missions and businesses in Algiers are poised to follow our lead with whatever security measures we adopt. FORD