Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS293
2008-03-11 12:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:  

ALGERIAN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY BACKTRACK ON

Tags:  PREL PHUM AG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAS #0293 0711258
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111258Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5431
INFO RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 6287
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2616
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 2238
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7091
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 3321
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000293 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2023
TAGS: PREL PHUM AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY BACKTRACK ON
CRITICISM OF U.S. EMBASSY

REF: ALGIERS 255 AND 274

Classified By: Ambassador Robert Ford, reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000293

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2023
TAGS: PREL PHUM AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY BACKTRACK ON
CRITICISM OF U.S. EMBASSY

REF: ALGIERS 255 AND 274

Classified By: Ambassador Robert Ford, reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) MFA Counselor Ambassador Abdallah Baali (protect)
pulled Ambassador aside after a discussion about the Western
Sahara (septel) to discuss privately the Algerian
government's public criticism of the American Embassy (refs).
Baali said he had asked the Director General (roughly
equivalent to Senior Director) at the Presidency on March 5
about the media clamour. According to Baali, the Presidency
official responded that the Presidency was mystified. The
Director General reportedly stated that h had spoken to
Bouteflika personally about media stories and the Prime
Minister's remarks, and Bouteflika had said there was nothing
objectionable in the Embassy's various political meetings.
Bouteflika, Baali concluded, knows what a foreign embassy's
job is. Baali also said that he had asked Foreign Minister
Medelci about the media stories on March 8 and Medelci denied
ever having criticized the Embassy in any fashion. Baali
then commented quietly that Prime Minister Belkhadem
apparently had perceived short-term domestic political gains
in attacking alleged American interference. Baali underlined
that the GoA was not trying to impede Embassy meetings.


2. (C) On March 10 the Portugese ambassador in Algiers told
Ambassador that a group of EU ambassadors had raised
the government's remarks privately with the Algerian MFA's
Director General for European Affairs (Assistant Secretary
equivalent) on March 8. The MFA official said that the
American Embassy's activities were entirely within the
bounds of the Vienna convention and the MFA had no
objections.


3. (C) Ambassador and DCM called on senior members of
Belkhadem's political party, the FLN, on March 8 and asked
for clarification of the Prime Minister's remarks, including
his warning to political parties and civil society
representatives not to meet with foreign embassies. Saleh
Goujil, a member of the seven-member FLN leadership
committee, sought to assure the Ambassador that the Prime
Minister's remarks, and those of Communications Minister
Boukerzaza, were misquoted. Goujil noted with a wry smile
that he as a political party leader was meeting the
Ambassador and there was no problem.


4. (C) Comment: The media attention and government sniping
have diminished since March 6. In March 6 and March 10
editorials the biggest selling newspaper, el-Khabar, mocked
the government's criticism of the Embassy and said the
government's secrecy about its plan to amend the constitution
is the real problem. Our conclusion is that Belkhadem and
his political allies are nervous about the criticism of their
constitutional amendment plan that they know we are hearing
in many of our private meetings. (One rumored element of the
amendment plan would create a new post of vice president and
put Belkhadem in it as the eventual successor to Bouteflika.
This would stir plenty of controversy among the Algerian top
leadership, however.) We believe Belkhadem and his allies
used the independent press, which is itself anxious to sell
papers with big scoops, to warn us off and at the same time
galvanize domestic political support for the amendment. Many
more sophisticated Algerians with whom Embassy staff have
spoken understand the PM's gambit and shrug it off. Some
other contacts appear to be more careful about meeting us in
the wake of the PM's warning. We have seen no public
retractions of the Prime Minister's remarks or those
allegedly made by the Foreign Minister and we likely will not.
FORD