Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USEUBRUSSELS90
2007-01-11 17:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

EU POLITICAL UNIT UNWILLING TO PRESS ALGERIA ON

Tags:  PREF PHUM AG BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #0090 0111749
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 111749Z JAN 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT
C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000090 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM AG BE
SUBJECT: EU POLITICAL UNIT UNWILLING TO PRESS ALGERIA ON
REFUGEE CENSUS

REF: A. A. 06 STATE 201212

B. B. BRUSSELS 00029

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Laurence Wohlers for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000090

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM AG BE
SUBJECT: EU POLITICAL UNIT UNWILLING TO PRESS ALGERIA ON
REFUGEE CENSUS

REF: A. A. 06 STATE 201212

B. B. BRUSSELS 00029

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Laurence Wohlers for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Refugee Officer delivered talking points (Ref A) on
Jan. 11 to Manfredo Fanti, Deputy Head of Unit for the
Mahgreb at the European Commission's Directorate General for
External Relations (RELEX),urging the EU to press the
Government of Algeria and Polisario to allow UNHCR to conduct
a census of Western Saharan refugees in Algeria. Like his
colleague at DG-ECHO, to whom refoff delivered the same
talking points on Dec. 22 (Ref B),Fanti said he is in
complete agreement with US objectives, but there is no
consensus within the EU to press for a refugee registration.
Calling the Western Saharan refugee issue "politically
delicate," Fanti said the 27 EU member states have divergent
views, making it difficult for the EU to speak with one
voice. In particular, he said, France and Spain have
longstanding strategic and cultural interests in the area and
are unlikely to agree upon a unified stance. In addition, the
Nordic countries maintain close watch on the issue from a
human rights and self-determination standpoint. If the EU
were to approach the GOA directly, he said, it would likely
be perceived as a hostile move which had aid reduction as its
ultimate goal.


2. (C) Fanti noted that past efforts to convince the GOA to
consider a census have been met with outright refusal, but he
senses a recent softening. UNHCR colleagues with whom he met
earlier this week told him they raised the issue with the GOA
recently and were met by silence rather than refusal, which
he sees as progress.


3. (C) The EU shares US concerns that current refugee
estimates are not accurate and that aid is not properly
targeted because it is difficult to assess the needs of the
refugee population, Fanti said. He noted that the Government
of Morocco, which would support a census, has subtly warned
the EU that its aid is likely being misused in the Tindouf
area. The current proposals for autonomy being developed by
Morocco for presentation to the UN soon may provide an
opening to revisit the refugee census issue, Fanti said. He
urged the USG to continue talking to France and Spain. If
those two governments can be persuaded that it is appropriate
to press for a census, they can give the EU a green light to
go forward, he said.
MCKINLEY
.