Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USUNNEWYORK311
2007-04-20 19:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

ALGERIAN PERMREP CONFIRMS POLISARIO ACCEPTANCE OF

Tags:  PREL PGOV UNSC AG WI MO 
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FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1740
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 1217
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1112
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 6218
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT IMMEDIATE 0054
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1013
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT IMMEDIATE 0849
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 0470
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2647
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000311 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC AG WI MO
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN PERMREP CONFIRMS POLISARIO ACCEPTANCE OF
DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS

REF: ALGIERS 543

Classified By: Amb. Jackie W. Sanders. E.O 12958. Reasons
1.4 (B&D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000311

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC AG WI MO
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN PERMREP CONFIRMS POLISARIO ACCEPTANCE OF
DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS

REF: ALGIERS 543

Classified By: Amb. Jackie W. Sanders. E.O 12958. Reasons
1.4 (B&D)


1. (C) Summary: In an April 19 meeting with Ambassador
Sanders, Algerian PermRep Yousfi confirmed that the Polisario
has agreed to enter into direct negotiations with Morocco
provided the invitation to negotiations is couched in the
language of paragraph 47 of the Secretary-General's April 13
Report on the situation concerning Western Sahara: that the
Security Council should "call on the parties, Morocco and the
Polisario Front, to enter into negotiations without
preconditions, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and
mutually acceptable political solution that will provide for
the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The
neighboring countries, Algeria and Mauritania, should also be
invited to these negotiations and be consulted separately on
issues directly affecting them, in accordance with the format
that was observed during the tenure of (the SYG's) previous
Personal Envoy, Mr. James A. Baker, III." Yousfi said that
Algeria understands Morocco to have accepted the
Secretary-General's report, including its formula for

SIPDIS
starting negotiations. The key, he stressed, is that
"self-determination" should be mentioned in the invitation;
absent such a mention, the Polisario would not agree to
negotiate. Also, to ensure the opportunity is not lost,
Yousfi said, careful attention needed to be given to the
upcoming MINURSO resolution's characterization of the
proposals presented by the Polisario and Morocco. The
Polisario would interpret praise for the Moroccan plan
without appreciation for the Polisario plan as a Security
Council precondition meant to ensure that the negotiations
discuss only of the Moroccan plan. Assuming appropriate
language, Yousfi said, the Polisario would be ready to
negotiate almost immediately. End Summary.


1. (C) Algerian PermRep Youssef Yousfi, accompanied by his
DCM and a poloff, met at his request with Ambassador Sanders,
accompanied by Ambassador Ross and Poloff, April 19 to

preview impending Security Council consideration of the
MINURSO renewal and efforts to promote a settlement of the
Western Sahara conflict.

Algeria/Polisario Are For Negotiations; Para 47



2. (C) Yousfi opened by expressing Algeria's satisfaction
with the SYG's latest report, which both Algeria and the
Polisario find to be balanced, and which Morocco accepts as
well. Algeria agrees with both the content and
recommendations of the report, but is now concerned about the
text of the draft resolution on MINURSO renewal. For the
first time, negotiations seem possible. Both Polisario and
Algeria agree that negotiations should be held. To ensure
that this opportunity is not lost, two important issues need
careful attention, the wording of the invitation and the
resolution's characterization of the proposals presented by
the Polisario and Morocco.


3. (C) Yousfi stressed that the invitation to negotiations
should be couched in the language of paragraph 47 of the
SYG's report: The Security Council should "call on the
parties, Morocco and the Polisario Front, to enter into
negotiations without preconditions, with a view to achieving
a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution
that will provide for the self-determination of the people of
Western Sahara. The neighboring countries, Algeria and
Mauritania, should also be invited to these negotiations and
be consulted separately on issues directly affecting them, in
accordance with the format that was observed during the
tenure of (the SYG's) previous Personal Envoy, Mr. James A.
Baker, III." It is Algeria's understanding, he said, that
Morocco accepts this formula. Algeria for its part has
convinced the Polisario to enter into direct negotiations,
but the letter of invitation must state that their purpose is
to reach a solution that will provide for self-determination.
Without mention of self-determination as put forth in
paragraph 47, the Polisario will not agree to negotiate.


4. (C) Turning to how the proposals put forth by the
Polisario and Morocco will be characterized in the MINURSO
resolution, Yousfi emphasized that, to give the new
opportunity a chance, the resolution must give the two
proposals equal treatment. If it does not, the Polisario

will refuse to enter negotiations. On the issue of MINURSO's
extension, he stated that Algeria has no problem with the
SYG's recommendation of a six-month extension. Noting that
the U.S. has a large role in drafting the MINURSO resolution,
he asked for our views on what might be expected on the
various issues he raised.


5. (C) Ambassador Sanders noted that our Embassy in Algiers
recently communicated our position to the Algerian
Government, so it should come as no surprise. The draft
resolution is still under consideration within the USG, so it
is not yet available more widely. However, we will propose a
two-month extension of MINURSO because this shorter extension
will help to maintain the momentum for a settlement. MINURSO
has been in existence since 1991 and, unfortunately, has not
been able to achieve its purpose. The U.S. position remains
that it would be happy to host negotiations without
preconditions, and the issue of an invitation will be
carefully addressed in the resolution. As for the two
proposals that have recently been put forward, we view
Morocco's proposal as serious and credible and as something
new, while we read the Polisario's proposal as essentially a
repackaging of the Baker plan . Regrettably, as Ambassador
Sanders had told Foreign Minister Bejdaoui, even with the
best of intentions, the approaches of the past have gotten us
nowhere. Given the existence of differing views on the
merits of the two plans, the U.S. believes that proceeding to
negotiations without preconditions rooted in either plan is
important.


6. (C) Yousfi insisted that the resolution must provide for
an invitation that makes reference to self-determination in
the same way as para 47 of the SYG's report. Without such a
reference, and with praise for the Moroccan proposal without
an appreciation of the Polisario's proposal, it will be
extremely difficult to get the Polisario to go to
negotiations. If the Security Council welcomes one plan, but
not the other, the Polisario will have the feeling that the
Council has created a precondition and that the negotiations
are meant to discuss only the Moroccan plan.


7. (C) Ambassador Ross urged the Algerian government to
focus on the framework of negotiations established by the
letter of invitation, which we expect will call for
negotiations without preconditions to seek a mutually
acceptable solution to the conflict. Algeria should not get
caught up in the wording of the MINURSO resolution on the two
plans and should ensure that the Polisario does not do so,
since it will be the letter of invitation, and not so much
the resolution, that frames the basis and purpose of
negotiations. Yousfi took the point, but went on to say that
the wording of the resolution is important as well. On the
two proposals and on the invitation to negotiations, it
should stick closely to the language of the SYG's report,
which everyone has accepted.


8. (C) Ambassador Ross asked Yousfi to confirm our
understanding that the Polisario's position on negotiations
has evolved. Whereas in previous contacts, Polisario
spokesmen have asserted that the Polisario will not go to
negotiations unless they are based on the Baker approach, it
now appears that it accepts negotiations without
preconditions. Yousfi agreed that indeed there has been an
evolution and that the Polisario is now willing to proceed to
direct negotiations as long as the letter of invitation
tracks the language of para 47 of the SYG's report and no
distinction is made in the resolution's treatment of the two
proposals now before the Council. Ross repeated that the
Polisario and Algeria should focus on the letter of
invitation and not so much what is in the resolution.

Algerians: No or Equal Mention of Proprosals



9. (C) Yousfi's DCM affirmed that the best situation would be
no mention of either plan; next best would be equal treatment
of both; worst would be praise for the Moroccan proposal
alone, because this would be viewed as partisan. Ambassador
Sanders repeated that we view the Moroccan proposal as
serious and credible and as a new element, while we see the
Polisario's proposal as a rehash of old history. While our
tactics may have changed, our strategic objective remains the
same: a mutually accepted political settlement through direct
negotiations. Ambassador Ross added that previous plans to

reach a settlement had failed and the Moroccan plan at least
offers a fresh approach, while, as far as we can see, there
is nothing new in the Polisario's plan. Yousfi countered
that, clearly, the U.S. and Algeria have different
evaluations of the two plans. To bless the Moroccan plan is
to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara,
something that no country has done to date. In any event,
the Moroccan plan is simply a reformulation of a proposal put
forward in 2001 that Algeria rejected. The Polisario, for
its part, is now proposing implementation of the Baker plan
through a referendum whose results, whatever they may be, it
will respect, as well as through enumeration of the
guarantees and privileges that a Sahrawi state will accord
Morocco and Moroccans in the Western Sahara in the event
independence is the outcome.


10. (C) Ambassador Ross urged Yousfi to look beyond the
content of the two plans and the MINURSO resolution and focus
on what is really important: the opening of direct
negotiations without preconditions. Yousfi insisted on
coming back to the resolution and asked what the U.S.
objective is in calling the Moroccan plan "serious and
credible." Is it just to please the Moroccans? Whatever the
case is, saying this will not serve the objective of getting
to negotiations. Treating the two plans differently will
jeopardize this objective, one shared by Algeria and the
U.S., and it is not worth the risk. Yousfi asserted that the
Algerian government is already very nervous about the
resolution and is torn whether to continue supporting
negotiations.


11. (C) Ambassador Sanders asked in closing how soon after
issuance of a letter of invitation the Polisario would be
ready to begin negotiations. Yousfi replied that ten days
would be ample time. He in turn asked how long we think that
negotiations should last. Do we expect them to be completed
in the two-month period we are suggesting for MINURSO
extension? Ambassador Sanders replied that, no, we want them
at least to start during that period.


12. (C) COMMENT: Hours later, the Polisario came in with
essentially the same message. Coordination is alive and
well. End Comment.
WOLFF