Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CASABLANCA118
2007-06-29 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Casablanca
Cable title:  

ALGERIA WEEK IN CASABLANCA PROMOTES ECONOMIC EXCHANGE, HOPE

Tags:  ECON PREL EFIN KDEM AG MO 
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P 291503Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7754
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 2903
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0240
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0794
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 0017
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0257
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0035
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RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3737
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 2265
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8019
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 2030
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0564
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0075
C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000118 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2017
TAGS: ECON PREL EFIN KDEM AG MO
SUBJECT: ALGERIA WEEK IN CASABLANCA PROMOTES ECONOMIC EXCHANGE, HOPE
FOR DTENTE


Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas Greene for reasons 1.4 (B)
AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000118

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2017
TAGS: ECON PREL EFIN KDEM AG MO
SUBJECT: ALGERIA WEEK IN CASABLANCA PROMOTES ECONOMIC EXCHANGE, HOPE
FOR DTENTE


Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas Greene for reasons 1.4 (B)
AND (D)


1. (SBU) Summary: June 26 to July 1 marks Algeria Week in Casablanca,
where Algeria is staging a week-long exhibition to promote business
and investment opportunities between Morocco and Algeria. While the
attendance of key royal family members and senior GOM officials at a
lavish kick-off event signaled the Moroccan leadership's keen
interest in improved relations with Algeria, Casablanca-based
business leaders remain skeptical that increased commercial exchange
will help bring political rapprochement. End Summary.

--------------
ROYALS FED RHETORIC AT LAVISH DINNER
--------------


2. (SBU) From June 26 to July 1, the Algerian Ministry of Commerce is
sponsoring Algeria Week in Casablanca to promote commercial and
cultural exchange between Morocco and Algeria. To kick off the
week-long event, which includes an exhibition at Casablanca's exhibit
hall, Algerian Ambassador to Morocco Larbi Belkheir hosted a lavish
dinner on June 26 for about 300 elite guests. In attendance were the
king's wife, Princess Lalla Salma, and the king's sister, Princess
Lalla Asmaa, as well as others from the palace. Prime Minister Driss
Jettou and a long list of GOM officials also attended, though were
overshadowed by the royal contingent.


3. (SBU) Royal family members remained at the two hour dinner, which
featured elaborate Algerian food and entertainment, including musical
performers, a fashion show, folkloric dancers and a poet. In
addresses including Belkheir's remarks to Lalla Salma and a recited
poem, the Algerians underscored the theme of brotherhood and unity in
North Africa and touted the "deep and important friendship between
the Moroccan and Algerian people." Algerian dancers reemphasized the
message during the grand finale when they held large Algerian and
Moroccan flags side by side, eliciting thunderous applause from the
audience.

--------------
ALGERIA'S COMMERCIAL GOALS LESS EXTRAVAGANT

--------------


4. (SBU) Despite the fanfare of the opening event for Algeria Week,
the commercial exhibition itself is underwhelming. Advertisements
promise over 80 exhibitors in diverse sectors including household
appliances, food products, pharmaceuticals, packaging, textiles,
tourism and artisanal goods. In reality, textiles seemed to be
represented by one or two rug dealers, the food products consisted of
candy and dates, and several booths were left unattended. Compared
to the hopping Twelfth Annual International Trade Days going on
concurrently and taking up three-quarters of the enormous exhibition
hall, the Algeria Week exhibit was small with few visitors.


5. (C) While the event's stated goals are to expand business and
partnership opportunities between Morocco and Algeria, and to boost
economic relations, the underlying theme is that increased commercial
exchange can help to improve political relations. It is not clear,
however, that Algeria Week's economic goals are realistic. An Embassy
Algiers Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) employee, in Casablanca for
a conference this week, noted that Algeria is weak on exports (with
the exception of gas) and wants to expand in the region. He could
easily guess the limited range of products featured at the exhibition
- foodstuffs, cosmetics - and said that even though Algerians seem
willing and regulations seem open, trade with Algeria remains
difficult. Nonetheless, there is widespread recognition that
opportunities for increased commercial exchange between Morocco and
Algeria exist, and could benefit both countries.

--------------
MOROCCANS SKEPTICAL OF CHANGE
--------------


6. (C) From a political standpoint, the presence of high-level royal
guests at the Algeria Week opening event certainly demonstrates
Morocco's interest in improved relations with Algeria. At the same
time, many Moroccans question whether Algeria is truly ready for
substantial change in its relationship with Morocco. According to

one GOM official who attended the opening dinner, "We want to say
that we are ready, but know that the Algerians - deeply impacted by
their history (i.e. French colonialism) - are still rooted in their
past and afraid of the future." A Casablanca businessman echoed this
sentiment, underscoring Morocco and Algeria's historical and cultural
differences.


7. (C) When asked about the significance of the Algeria Week
initiative, many Moroccan businessmen discounted it. To begin with,
such events are not as singular as the media would have one believe.
A few GOM guests at the opening dinner noted that the GOM had put on
a similar exhibition in Algiers earlier in June, also with the goal
of improving commercial and cultural ties. According to a
Casablancan banker, relations between Morocco and Algeria have always
remained cordial, despite the long-standing political issues between
them. In his words, Morocco views Algeria as "an adversary, not a
true enemy," so an event such as Algeria Week is not extraordinary,
and people should not read too much into it. On the whole,
businesspeople in Morocco seem to view Algeria Week as a 'nice
gesture,' but not one that will change anything.


8. (C) Comment: While opportunities for commercial exchange between
Morocco and Algeria exist, the bigger question is whether expanding
economic relations can help smooth the road to rapprochement by
opening alternate channels of dialogue and activity. At least in
Casablanca, this week's Algeria Week indicates that Moroccans and
Algerians alike are hopeful and want to invest in this process. At
the same time, Casablancan leaders seem mostly skeptical that such
initiatives can spur real, long-term change.

GREENE