Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RABAT981
2007-06-11 17:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
MFA DG BRIEFS DAS GRAY ON MOROCCAN PLANS FOR
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0981 1621742 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 111742Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6686 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 4448 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0654 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 3067 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3314 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 5723 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3508 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4649 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 9309 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3123 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0705
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000981
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, IO/PKO, UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2009
TAGS: MO PBTS PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: MFA DG BRIEFS DAS GRAY ON MOROCCAN PLANS FOR
WESTERN SAHARA TALKS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000981
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, IO/PKO, UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2009
TAGS: MO PBTS PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: MFA DG BRIEFS DAS GRAY ON MOROCCAN PLANS FOR
WESTERN SAHARA TALKS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)
1. (C) NEA DAS Gordon Gray and Ambassador Riley met with MFA
Director General Bilateral (P-equiv.) Youssef Amrani June 11,
on the margins of the AFRICOM briefing (septel) to discuss
the Western Sahara. Amrani asserted that Morocco was
faithfully implementing the UN Security Council Resolution on
the Western Sahara, and would negotiate without preconditions
and in good faith. The GOM was determined that the
discussions focus on substance as well as procedural issues.
They wanted to set out their vision of how they propose to
solve the problem.
2. (C) Amrani said the Moroccan negotiating team had left for
New York that day, which he understood to be the same four
that had long been involved in the issue: Interior Minister
Benmoussa, Interior Minister-Delegate el-Himma, Minister
Delegate of Foreign Affairs Fassi Fihri, and GED (intel)
Chief Mansuri. They would meet SRSG Van Walsum June 12 and
looked forward to going to Washington on June 15. Noting
that he knew and respected the announced members of the
Algerian delegation, Amrani said Morocco favored direct
participation by Algeria and Mauritania in the talks, but not
by the Friends. Gray said that we shared reluctance to have
all the Friends participate, as it would complicate
discussion. The USG would be happy to participate alone in
its role as Friends chair, if desired, in the unlikely event
it could be agreed at the UN.
3. (C) Amrani repeated oft-heard GOM disappointment with the
cancellation of Van Walsum's visit here and his scheduled
meeting with the King; he ascribed the change in plans to the
Algerian refusal to meet the SRSG and to POLISARIO insistence
that Abdel Aziz would only be available in Tifarity. Morocco
kept quiet, he said, but wanted the UN to include this in the
SYG's next report to the Security Council. Gray underscored
that the USG had not asked Van Walsum to cancel his trip, but
had told him that UNSC members had expected that the parties
would meet before the report to the council by June 30. The
USG was satisfied with how things were moving forward and
shared a desire for progress in the talks.
4. (U) DAS Gray has cleared this cable.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
RILEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, IO/PKO, UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2009
TAGS: MO PBTS PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: MFA DG BRIEFS DAS GRAY ON MOROCCAN PLANS FOR
WESTERN SAHARA TALKS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)
1. (C) NEA DAS Gordon Gray and Ambassador Riley met with MFA
Director General Bilateral (P-equiv.) Youssef Amrani June 11,
on the margins of the AFRICOM briefing (septel) to discuss
the Western Sahara. Amrani asserted that Morocco was
faithfully implementing the UN Security Council Resolution on
the Western Sahara, and would negotiate without preconditions
and in good faith. The GOM was determined that the
discussions focus on substance as well as procedural issues.
They wanted to set out their vision of how they propose to
solve the problem.
2. (C) Amrani said the Moroccan negotiating team had left for
New York that day, which he understood to be the same four
that had long been involved in the issue: Interior Minister
Benmoussa, Interior Minister-Delegate el-Himma, Minister
Delegate of Foreign Affairs Fassi Fihri, and GED (intel)
Chief Mansuri. They would meet SRSG Van Walsum June 12 and
looked forward to going to Washington on June 15. Noting
that he knew and respected the announced members of the
Algerian delegation, Amrani said Morocco favored direct
participation by Algeria and Mauritania in the talks, but not
by the Friends. Gray said that we shared reluctance to have
all the Friends participate, as it would complicate
discussion. The USG would be happy to participate alone in
its role as Friends chair, if desired, in the unlikely event
it could be agreed at the UN.
3. (C) Amrani repeated oft-heard GOM disappointment with the
cancellation of Van Walsum's visit here and his scheduled
meeting with the King; he ascribed the change in plans to the
Algerian refusal to meet the SRSG and to POLISARIO insistence
that Abdel Aziz would only be available in Tifarity. Morocco
kept quiet, he said, but wanted the UN to include this in the
SYG's next report to the Security Council. Gray underscored
that the USG had not asked Van Walsum to cancel his trip, but
had told him that UNSC members had expected that the parties
would meet before the report to the council by June 30. The
USG was satisfied with how things were moving forward and
shared a desire for progress in the talks.
4. (U) DAS Gray has cleared this cable.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
RILEY