MOROCCO ON ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000417 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2017 TAGS: PREL KISL XF SUBJECT: MOROCCO ON ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL REF: STATE 24372 Classified by Political Counselor Craig Karp for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Poloff met with Hassan Hami, MFA Director for Arab Multilateral Affairs, on the morning of March 2 to convey U.S. positions on the Arab League's Ministerial agenda (reftel). Hami confirmed that Foreign Minister Benaissa would lead the Moroccan delegation to the March 3-4 Cairo talks, adding that Mohammed Azeroual, MFA Director-General for Multilateral Affairs was already in Cairo for pre-Ministerial meetings. Hami offered interim responses to U.S. points on Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Lebanon, in keeping with Moroccan approaches on each issue. Generally, Morocco tends to remain in line with Arab League consensus positions, but is more receptive to Israeli views than most AL states. End summary. ¶2. (C) On the Israeli-Palestinian situation, Hami said the GOM was cautiously optimistic that formation of the National Unity Government was moving in the right direction, noting recent language from Khalid Mashaal that suggested increasing pragmatism from hardline quarters of Hamas. Hami judged the Mecca Agreement historic, and stressed its symbolic importance as the site where the Prophet Muhammad had made peace with the restive Quraysh tribe. He believed Haniya and Hamas would be loathe to "cross" Saudi Arabia and the GCC states by going back on the principles of the Mecca accord, given their dependence on financial support from the Gulf. ¶3. (C) On Iraq, Hami expected the Arab League would extend support to the Maliki Government and support its new diplomatic initiative. The fact that this was an Iraqi rather than American initiative would not be lost on AL members, he opined. ¶4. (C) On Iran, Hami said discussion of a proposed nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East was already on the Ministers' agenda, and pointed to AL SYG Amr Mousa's recent statements in support of this concept. He did not know whether implementation of UNSCR 1737 would be discussed in detail. ¶5. (C) On Sudan, he expected the AL Ministers to reiterate support for "territorial integrity," similar to formula adopted at last year's summit in Khartoum. He would not predict whether the Ministers would discuss the GOS' need to cooperate with the provision of the UN heavy support package to the AMIS. ¶6. (C) On Lebanon, he said AL Ministers would likely adopt language calling for a peaceful solution to the political crisis. ¶7. (C) Hami added that Morocco generally tried to avoid becoming involved in Arab "bilateral disputes," but paid special attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, noting that the GOM had good contacts and open channels with both Palestinians and Israelis. He reiterated Morocco's interest in being included in multilateral efforts such as the recent GCC plus two meeting in Kuwait. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** Riley