MOROCCO: PROGRESS TOWARD A SEISMIC MONITORING

UNCLAS RABAT 001099 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND L NOAA (ED KRUSE) DEPT OES (FERNANDO ECHAVARRIA AND BOB SENSENEY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIA PARM MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO: PROGRESS TOWARD A SEISMIC MONITORING STATION AGREEMENT REF: 04 RABAT 01121 ¶1. (U) Summary: On March 25, Department of the Air Force Deputy General Counsel for International Affairs Michael Zehner and Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) representative Bill Barker held successful follow on negotiations with Said Belcadi, Director of Morocco,s National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) on a draft seismic monitoring agreement. The U.S. and Morocco made substantial progress toward concluding an agreement to establish a seismic monitoring station in Morocco, after reaching consensus on minor changes proposed by Morocco to the draft text. Next, an AFTAC technical team will visit Morocco in the fall 2007 to conduct noise surveys to identify the most appropriate location for the station. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Air Force Deputy General Counsel Michael Zehner and AFTAC representative Bill Barker discussed March 25 changes proposed by Morocco to the seismic monitoring station agreement with CNRST Director Said Belcadi, CNRST Geologist Prof. Aomar Iben Brahim, MFA Legal Advisor Abdelatif Sadafi, and several other technical specialists from CNRST. (NB: CNRST, a quasi-governmental institution, has considerable latitude in its activities as a research body, but ultimately falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education, Professional Training, and Scientific Research.) ¶3. (U) Belcadi began the discussions by recalling the progress achieved in the 2004 negotiations (reftel),and reiterated Morocco,s desire to conclude the agreement in as timely a manner as possible. He also agreed to host an AFTAC technical team in the fall to conduct another round of noise surveys at two potential monitoring station locations. (NB: AFTAC and CNRST geologists have been in contact about a technical visit in October/November.) ¶4. (U) The GOM team raised several minor changes to the 2004 draft agreement, in large part previously presented via a MFA diplomatic note addressed to the Embassy dated May 7, 2007 (that Embassy forwarded to AFTAC for review). Moroccan remarks centered on: the Joint Scientific Commission's role in budget issues (Article III),training for CNRST personnel on analysis and processing of seismic data (Article IV), CNRST responsibilities for supporting the station (Article V),and the GOM delegation also requested further clarification on the scope of the third party transfers section (Article VI). ¶5. (U) The proposals suggested by the GOM team were relatively minor and both delegations easily resolved the differences and reached consensus on acceptable text in each case. The U.S and Morocco agreed that the current text is ready to be reviewed in each capital, followed by preparation of the agreement for signature. (Note: Barker informed Embassy that AFTAC will directly transmit the latest agreement text to the Department. End Note.) ¶6. (U) On several occasions through the discussions, GOM negotiators highlighted potential difficulties associated with acquiring appropriate land rights at the two proposed site locations, located near Boumia (Midelt Region) and near Oussilkane (Anti Atlas). All indications suggest that Morocco currently favors establishing the seismic monitoring station at the Boumia site, ostensibly due to the difficulty involved in accessing the Anti Atlas site, which is located in a mountainous region and not in close proximity to established transport routes. Barker suggested that discussions concerning site location be deferred until analysis of the upcoming noise surveys is complete. The GOM team agreed. ¶7. (U) Comment: The flexibility displayed by Belcadi and the GOM delegation on modifications they had initially proposed was encouraging, and likely reflects Morocco's desire to ink the agreement sooner rather than later. We believe an expeditious signing of the agreement may result in a similarly prompt determination of a station site location (once the noise surveys have taken place). End Comment. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** RILEY