Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RABAT1687
2007-11-02 10:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
TIMING IS EVERYTHING: MOROCCANS IRKED BY FRENCH
how-toVZCZCXRO6332 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHRB #1687 3061022 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021022Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7685 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5825 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4818 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 3637
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001687
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM MO FR SP
SUBJECT: TIMING IS EVERYTHING: MOROCCANS IRKED BY FRENCH
AND SPANISH CHARGES
Classified by DCM Robert P. Jackson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001687
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM MO FR SP
SUBJECT: TIMING IS EVERYTHING: MOROCCANS IRKED BY FRENCH
AND SPANISH CHARGES
Classified by DCM Robert P. Jackson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Summary: The timing of two recent judicial actions in
Western Europe has irked Morocco. The past ten days have
seen a French indictment of senior Moroccan officials in
connection with the 1965 disappearance of a political
dissident in Paris, and the launch of a Spanish inquest into
alleged "genocide" and other crimes in Western Sahara. The
French and Spanish announcements happened to coincide with
the visits, respectively, of President Sarkozy and Crown
Prince Felipe and came within a week of each other. The
Spanish inquest may prove to be a particularly sore subject
for the GOM, which has been working feverishly to outflank
the Polisario (and the Algerians) on the diplomatic
battlefield. In any case, both the Moroccan government and
opinion leaders find the timing of these developments
inopportune and suspicious. End summary.
2. (U) On October 23, French judicial sources told media that
French prosecutor Judge Patrick Ramael was preparing
indictments against five Moroccans, including current
Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Gen. Housni Benslimane,
in connection with the 1965 disappearance in Paris of
Moroccan dissident Mehdi Ben Barka. On October 30, Spanish
media reported that Judge Balthazar Garzon would open an
inquest into alleged attrocities, including genocide,
assassination, assault, and torture committed by Moroccans
following their 1975 invasion of the former Spanish Sahara
colony.
3. (SBU) While such developments would inevitably generate
considerable attention at any time in Morocco, the timing of
each has in this case prompted additional attention, and
indignation in official circles and the Moroccan press. The
revelation of the French indictments came on the second day
of President Sarkozy's state visit to Morocco. The
revelation of the new Spanish inquest came as Spanish Crown
Prince Felipe conducted an official visit to Morocco.
4. (SBU) The French Ben Barka indictments were viewed by
Moroccan commentators as an embarassment both for President
Sarkozy and for Gen. Benslimane. The mystery of Ben Barka's
disappearance and presumed assassination is an obsession for
many Moroccans, kept alive by a seemingly endless stream of
speculative media articles and by leftist political parties.
5. (C) The Spanish inquest touches a particular nerve in
Morocco. Reports that "genocide" are among the crimes Garzon
is investigating are sure to produce a defensive response
from the GOM. A commentator on the semi-private 2M TV
channel stated that this was the first time the word
"genocide" has been used in the Saharan context. A
pro-Moroccan, ostensibly independent NGO, the Moroccan Sahara
Association (ASM),claims to have filed in Spain similar
genocide charges against the Polisario, with no result.
6. (SBU) Speaking on TV on October 31, Minister of
Communication Khalid Naciri criticized Garzon's approach,
accusing him of open bias toward the Polisario and Algeria.
Naciri said Morocco is capable of addressing its human rights
record on its own, noting the work of the Independent equity
and reconciliation commission, which included compensation
for victims of abuses during the Hassan II era. Naciri
suggested that Garzon should instead focus his attentions on
alleged human rights abuses which persist in the
Polisario-controlled refugee camp in Tindouf, Algeria.
7. (C) Comment: Senior Moroccans are unhappy with Garzon's
announcement, which they likely see as judicial manipulation,
particularly following so closely on the French announcement,
and as a potential propaganda victory for the Polisario and
their Algerian sponsors. We would welcome any insight from
our colleagues in Madrid and Paris as to the potentially
politicized timing of judicial authorities' actions. End
comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM MO FR SP
SUBJECT: TIMING IS EVERYTHING: MOROCCANS IRKED BY FRENCH
AND SPANISH CHARGES
Classified by DCM Robert P. Jackson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Summary: The timing of two recent judicial actions in
Western Europe has irked Morocco. The past ten days have
seen a French indictment of senior Moroccan officials in
connection with the 1965 disappearance of a political
dissident in Paris, and the launch of a Spanish inquest into
alleged "genocide" and other crimes in Western Sahara. The
French and Spanish announcements happened to coincide with
the visits, respectively, of President Sarkozy and Crown
Prince Felipe and came within a week of each other. The
Spanish inquest may prove to be a particularly sore subject
for the GOM, which has been working feverishly to outflank
the Polisario (and the Algerians) on the diplomatic
battlefield. In any case, both the Moroccan government and
opinion leaders find the timing of these developments
inopportune and suspicious. End summary.
2. (U) On October 23, French judicial sources told media that
French prosecutor Judge Patrick Ramael was preparing
indictments against five Moroccans, including current
Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Gen. Housni Benslimane,
in connection with the 1965 disappearance in Paris of
Moroccan dissident Mehdi Ben Barka. On October 30, Spanish
media reported that Judge Balthazar Garzon would open an
inquest into alleged attrocities, including genocide,
assassination, assault, and torture committed by Moroccans
following their 1975 invasion of the former Spanish Sahara
colony.
3. (SBU) While such developments would inevitably generate
considerable attention at any time in Morocco, the timing of
each has in this case prompted additional attention, and
indignation in official circles and the Moroccan press. The
revelation of the French indictments came on the second day
of President Sarkozy's state visit to Morocco. The
revelation of the new Spanish inquest came as Spanish Crown
Prince Felipe conducted an official visit to Morocco.
4. (SBU) The French Ben Barka indictments were viewed by
Moroccan commentators as an embarassment both for President
Sarkozy and for Gen. Benslimane. The mystery of Ben Barka's
disappearance and presumed assassination is an obsession for
many Moroccans, kept alive by a seemingly endless stream of
speculative media articles and by leftist political parties.
5. (C) The Spanish inquest touches a particular nerve in
Morocco. Reports that "genocide" are among the crimes Garzon
is investigating are sure to produce a defensive response
from the GOM. A commentator on the semi-private 2M TV
channel stated that this was the first time the word
"genocide" has been used in the Saharan context. A
pro-Moroccan, ostensibly independent NGO, the Moroccan Sahara
Association (ASM),claims to have filed in Spain similar
genocide charges against the Polisario, with no result.
6. (SBU) Speaking on TV on October 31, Minister of
Communication Khalid Naciri criticized Garzon's approach,
accusing him of open bias toward the Polisario and Algeria.
Naciri said Morocco is capable of addressing its human rights
record on its own, noting the work of the Independent equity
and reconciliation commission, which included compensation
for victims of abuses during the Hassan II era. Naciri
suggested that Garzon should instead focus his attentions on
alleged human rights abuses which persist in the
Polisario-controlled refugee camp in Tindouf, Algeria.
7. (C) Comment: Senior Moroccans are unhappy with Garzon's
announcement, which they likely see as judicial manipulation,
particularly following so closely on the French announcement,
and as a potential propaganda victory for the Polisario and
their Algerian sponsors. We would welcome any insight from
our colleagues in Madrid and Paris as to the potentially
politicized timing of judicial authorities' actions. End
comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley