Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RABAT246
2008-03-18 11:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
MOROCCO: CONCERNS OVER MANHASSET AND HAPPINESS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0246/01 0781108 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181108Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8277 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0791 RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4720 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0450 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3548 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5932 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3686 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4957 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 3963
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000246
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PBTS WI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: CONCERNS OVER MANHASSET AND HAPPINESS
OVER RIGHTS REPORT
REF: STATE 024302
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000246
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PBTS WI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: CONCERNS OVER MANHASSET AND HAPPINESS
OVER RIGHTS REPORT
REF: STATE 024302
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chief of Staff
(CoS) Nasser Bourita told Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) and
PolCouns that the Government of Morocco (GOM) was concerned
over the direction of the Manhasset negotiations. Although
he did not make a direct request, Bourita appeared to
intimate a desire for a meeting between Foreign Minister
Fassi-Fihri and NEA A/S Welch after the March round of talks.
Bourita stated that the GOM did not have high hopes for the
March Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Ministerial and Summit in Senegal. The rest of the meeting
was devoted to the DCM's official transmittal of the Morocco
and Western Sahara Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
for 2007 to the GOM and a discussion of its contents and
implications. After a cursory initial review, Bourita
expressed thanks for recognizing the GOM's achievements and
urged the U.S. to evaluate Morocco and the POLISARIO by the
same standards. End Summary.
Concern Over Manhasset
--------------
2. (C) During a March 11 meeting in his office, MFA CoS
Nasser Bourita told the DCM and PolCouns that the Manhasset
process "is good, but is in danger" as a result of POLISARIO
and Algerian obstructionism. He warned the USG not to
underestimate the "capacity of the other side to misuse" the
process for political purposes rather than resolution of the
conflict. Without specifying the source or exact nature of
the GOM's concerns, he said that Morocco would be the "last
to leave the process," but that the USG and Morocco must
"evaluate the dangers together." Continuing obliquely, he
added, "We want to share our concerns with you."
Human Rights Happiness
--------------
3. (C) When presented a copy of the Morocco and Western
Sahara Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bourita
expressed gratitude for the USG's willingness to recognize
Morocco's progress in human rights, and admitted that, at the
same time, Morocco was ¬ perfect" and needed to continue
working on reform. He refuted the contention that there was
a different standard for human rights between Morocco proper
and Western Sahara, and attributed such sentiments to "human
rights nebulae" within the UN and the international NGO
community that are being used as propaganda tools of the
"other side," i.e., the POLISARIO and Algeria. Bourita said
that inclusion of the Western Sahara report as an addendum to
the Morocco report was in keeping with international legal
decisions and other USG public reports regarding disputed
territories, such as Kosovo. He expressed appreciation for
the USG's continued participation in the annual Human Rights
Dialogue, and said that it had paid dividends for both sides.
He added that, rather than being a bone of contention
between the two governments, the report had become a tool for
constructive engagement from which Morocco "had learned."
4. (C) Bourita then turned to the issue of fairness and
balance in reporting in relation to the POLISARIO and
Algeria, saying that talk of violations must be framed by
discussion of references. Bourita said that Morocco has
signed international human rights conventions and aligned its
laws with international standards, in contrast with the
POLISARIO. Bourita said that the notion of POLISARIO
"jurisdiction" within Algeria was laughable, adding that
violations in Tindouf occurred within Algerian borders and
Algiers had to take responsibility for actions taken by those
it harbors. "Algeria cannot cede legal responsibility for
Tindouf any more than we could for Meknes," he scoffed.
Low Expectations for OIC Summit
--------------
5. (C) Bourita expressed a certain weary resignation about
the March OIC Summit in Senegal, saying that it would produce
the "same resolutions and statements and the same lack of
progress." He feared that the level of interest accompanying
the OIC summit would not be met with a commensurate level of
achievement. Bourita added that the debate over intellectual
property and information sharing within the OIC was
interesting in that "some countries" were using the
discussion and mechanisms to "share information we don't want
them to have." He drew a parallel between a proposal to
re-write the OIC charter to allow for more internal democracy
and Morocco's current state of political reform. Bourita
said that some factions in both the OIC and Morocco were
pressing for greater democratic changes, while others sought
to use existing democratic space more effectively before
opening up new avenues of political growth. "We don't know
who is right yet," he said.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Bourita seemed to hint at a desire for a high level
meeting, perhaps between Foreign Minister Fassi-Fihri and A/S
Welch, after the latest Manhasset round. Although
deliberately circumspect, Bourita appeared to implicate
Algeria as the cause for the current impasse and not
necessarily the POLISARIO. Recent press and public
statements by the GOM and surrogates, such as members of the
Royal Consultative Council for the Western Sahara, show a
coordinated messaging campaign focused on Algiers rather than
Tindouf.
7. (C) Comment continued: Bourita's predictions about the
OIC Summit seem to have been borne out by events in Dakar.
Moroccan coverage has been generally respectful partly in
response, according to an MFA contact, to the fact the GOM
underwrote most of the summit's costs; and the press does not
want to be overly critical of an event in which the GOM
invested so much money. Response to the English versions of
the Human Rights Reports, from both Government and civil
society, has so far been positive and appreciative of the
reports, "balance." End Comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND IO/UNP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PBTS WI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: CONCERNS OVER MANHASSET AND HAPPINESS
OVER RIGHTS REPORT
REF: STATE 024302
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chief of Staff
(CoS) Nasser Bourita told Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) and
PolCouns that the Government of Morocco (GOM) was concerned
over the direction of the Manhasset negotiations. Although
he did not make a direct request, Bourita appeared to
intimate a desire for a meeting between Foreign Minister
Fassi-Fihri and NEA A/S Welch after the March round of talks.
Bourita stated that the GOM did not have high hopes for the
March Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Ministerial and Summit in Senegal. The rest of the meeting
was devoted to the DCM's official transmittal of the Morocco
and Western Sahara Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
for 2007 to the GOM and a discussion of its contents and
implications. After a cursory initial review, Bourita
expressed thanks for recognizing the GOM's achievements and
urged the U.S. to evaluate Morocco and the POLISARIO by the
same standards. End Summary.
Concern Over Manhasset
--------------
2. (C) During a March 11 meeting in his office, MFA CoS
Nasser Bourita told the DCM and PolCouns that the Manhasset
process "is good, but is in danger" as a result of POLISARIO
and Algerian obstructionism. He warned the USG not to
underestimate the "capacity of the other side to misuse" the
process for political purposes rather than resolution of the
conflict. Without specifying the source or exact nature of
the GOM's concerns, he said that Morocco would be the "last
to leave the process," but that the USG and Morocco must
"evaluate the dangers together." Continuing obliquely, he
added, "We want to share our concerns with you."
Human Rights Happiness
--------------
3. (C) When presented a copy of the Morocco and Western
Sahara Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bourita
expressed gratitude for the USG's willingness to recognize
Morocco's progress in human rights, and admitted that, at the
same time, Morocco was ¬ perfect" and needed to continue
working on reform. He refuted the contention that there was
a different standard for human rights between Morocco proper
and Western Sahara, and attributed such sentiments to "human
rights nebulae" within the UN and the international NGO
community that are being used as propaganda tools of the
"other side," i.e., the POLISARIO and Algeria. Bourita said
that inclusion of the Western Sahara report as an addendum to
the Morocco report was in keeping with international legal
decisions and other USG public reports regarding disputed
territories, such as Kosovo. He expressed appreciation for
the USG's continued participation in the annual Human Rights
Dialogue, and said that it had paid dividends for both sides.
He added that, rather than being a bone of contention
between the two governments, the report had become a tool for
constructive engagement from which Morocco "had learned."
4. (C) Bourita then turned to the issue of fairness and
balance in reporting in relation to the POLISARIO and
Algeria, saying that talk of violations must be framed by
discussion of references. Bourita said that Morocco has
signed international human rights conventions and aligned its
laws with international standards, in contrast with the
POLISARIO. Bourita said that the notion of POLISARIO
"jurisdiction" within Algeria was laughable, adding that
violations in Tindouf occurred within Algerian borders and
Algiers had to take responsibility for actions taken by those
it harbors. "Algeria cannot cede legal responsibility for
Tindouf any more than we could for Meknes," he scoffed.
Low Expectations for OIC Summit
--------------
5. (C) Bourita expressed a certain weary resignation about
the March OIC Summit in Senegal, saying that it would produce
the "same resolutions and statements and the same lack of
progress." He feared that the level of interest accompanying
the OIC summit would not be met with a commensurate level of
achievement. Bourita added that the debate over intellectual
property and information sharing within the OIC was
interesting in that "some countries" were using the
discussion and mechanisms to "share information we don't want
them to have." He drew a parallel between a proposal to
re-write the OIC charter to allow for more internal democracy
and Morocco's current state of political reform. Bourita
said that some factions in both the OIC and Morocco were
pressing for greater democratic changes, while others sought
to use existing democratic space more effectively before
opening up new avenues of political growth. "We don't know
who is right yet," he said.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Bourita seemed to hint at a desire for a high level
meeting, perhaps between Foreign Minister Fassi-Fihri and A/S
Welch, after the latest Manhasset round. Although
deliberately circumspect, Bourita appeared to implicate
Algeria as the cause for the current impasse and not
necessarily the POLISARIO. Recent press and public
statements by the GOM and surrogates, such as members of the
Royal Consultative Council for the Western Sahara, show a
coordinated messaging campaign focused on Algiers rather than
Tindouf.
7. (C) Comment continued: Bourita's predictions about the
OIC Summit seem to have been borne out by events in Dakar.
Moroccan coverage has been generally respectful partly in
response, according to an MFA contact, to the fact the GOM
underwrote most of the summit's costs; and the press does not
want to be overly critical of an event in which the GOM
invested so much money. Response to the English versions of
the Human Rights Reports, from both Government and civil
society, has so far been positive and appreciative of the
reports, "balance." End Comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley