MOROCCAN DEMARCHE ON FOURTH COMMITTEE SAHARA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001575 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 TAGS: PREL MO XA XF SUBJECT: MOROCCAN DEMARCHE ON FOURTH COMMITTEE SAHARA RESOLUTION REF: RABAT 1516 RABAT 00001575 001.3 OF 002 Classified by A/Polcouns Ian McCary for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On the afternoon of October 4, Moroccan MFA Secretary-General Omar Hilale summoned chiefs of mission from SIPDIS OAS states resident in Rabat to a demarche anticipating wrangling over the text of a Western Sahara resolution in the UN Fourth Committee, set to begin next week. In addition to the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela were represented at the meeting. ¶2. (C) In a 45 minute presentation, Hilale urged the Fourth Committee's adoption by consensus of a Sahara resolution in keeping with the tenor of UNSCR 1754. He complained that Algeria, not taking into account new realities, planned to submit a counterproductive text referencing the Baker Plans and containing other "outmoded language." ¶3. (C) Having responded to years of international urging, Morocco has entered with good faith into direct negotiations with the separatist Polisario Front, Hilale argued. An outmoded Fourth Committee resolution would "encourage radicals" and upset this delicate process, he warned. ¶4. (C) Hilale's arguments were similar to those MFA IO Chief Bourita made to Polcouns in late September (reftel). ¶5. (SBU) Hilale's staff distributed a note summarizing the Moroccan position. The text of the note is repeated below: Begin Text Arguments in favor of a consensual resolution at the 4th Committee of the United Nations General Assembly 1--The consideration of the Moroccan Sahara issue by the General Assembly's 4th Committee will, this year, be held in a specific context, marked by: --The presentation by Morocco, last April, of its Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute for the Sahara Region; --The largely favorable international welcome which was given to the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative; --The adoption by the Security Council, on 30 April 2007, of resolution 1754, which "takes note of the Moroccan proposal" and "welcomes the serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards resolution" of this dispute; --The call by Resolution 1754 on the parties to enter into negotiations without preconditions in good faith, taking into account the developments of the last months, with a view to achieving a just, lasting, anQmutually acceptable political solution to this dispute; --The consecration, by the Security Council, of negotiation as the one and only means to settling this dispute, thus breaking in a clear, unambiguous and final way with the approaches and various proposals that were tested or put forward since 1990; --The launch of the Manhasset negotiation process, thanks to the positive dynamic created by the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative and the holding of two rounds of negotiations between the parties, under the auspices of the Secretary General, in Manhasset, on June 18-19, 2007 and August 10-11, ¶2007. --The forthcoming holding of the 3rd round of negotiations; --The strong participation of Moroccan citizens from the Sahara region in the legislative elections held September 7th, thus contributing to the consolidation of the rule of law and to the strengthening of the country's democratic institutions. 2.--While ignoring all these developments, Algeria is reportedly about to present a resolution, as it did last year, which is completely out of touch with the current dynamic. Its objective would be to instrumentalise the 4th Committee, namely to redirect negotiations with terms of reference that are far from those of resolution 1754. RABAT 00001575 002 OF 002 3.--As for the Kingdom of Morocco, which is resolutely engaged in negotiations held under the auspices of the Secretary General's Personal Envoy, it considers that such an SIPDIS approach would pollute the upcoming resumption of negotiations and further result in siding with one of the parties. This is the reason why only a consensual resolution can be acceptable for Morocco. This should only be limited to expressing support for Security Council resolution 1754 and for the ongoing negotiations process. 4.--Such a resolution should: --Be in line with the recent evolution of the dispute, namely within the Security Council; --Be in conformity with the letter and spirit of Security Council resolution 1754, which was welcomed by all parties and the international community as a whole. --Reinforce the ongoing negotiation process and avoid compromising or altering the present momentum. --"Get rid of" references to prior proposals (Settlement Plan and Baker Plan),whose caducity (sic) was clearly established by the Secretary General and the Security Council. --Strengthen coherence with regard to the handling of this question by the various organs of the United Nations, by reaffirming the central role of the Security Council. 5.--The virtue of such a consensual resolution is threefold: --To bring the General Assembly's support to the ongoing negotiation process; --To spare the international community a division similar to that of last year, and to prevent any new confrontation within the 4th Committee. --To avoid redirecting negotiations, supporting one position against another or reinforcing the rigid and backward-looking positions of the other parties, at a time when resolution 1754 asks "parties and states of the region to continue to cooperate fully with the United Nations and with each other to end the current impasse and to achieve progress towards a political solution." 6.--Given all these reasons the Kingdom of Morocco requests the support of all United Nations Member-States, so as to protect the negotiations against any interference likely to compromise them. The international community's commitment to this end would come through the adoption of a consensual and impartial resolution, which has a unique objective, that of strengthening the ongoing negotiation process. End Text. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ***************************************** Riley