MOROCCO RENEWS AND BROADENS ALGERIA INITIATIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000415

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/MAG AND IO/UNP
NSC FOR ABRAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PBTS AG MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO RENEWS AND BROADENS ALGERIA INITIATIVE

REF: A. RABAT 0378

B. RABAT 0401

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Feeling good about progress in New York,
Morocco renewed its call for better relations with Algeria on
May 5, broadening its standing appeal to open the closed
border in a quest for comprehensive normalization. MFA Chief
of Staff Bourita confirmed Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri
called in the Algerian Charge to pass a formal diplomatic
note, calling for a joint meeting of Foreign and Interior
Ministers as a first step. He verbally noted that Sahara
could be off the table. The Foreign Minister briefed the
press, in part to underscore that the initiative was
personally blessed by the King, Bourita said. The Algerian
Charge separately told us he considered the offer to be
sincere. He had no formal response from Algiers, but allowed
that gentle USG encouragement of a positive response could be
helpful. We think we could also urge concrete Moroccan
gestures, particularly in Sahara, that could help reinforce
their sincerity and the initiative. It may also be
worthwhile to consult with P-5 and "Friends" influentials.
END SUMMARY.

Retooled Moroccan Initiative
--------------


2. (U) Broadcast media reported late May 6 that Moroccan
Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri called in the Algerian Charge
d'Affaires on May 5 to offer a broad initiative to improve
relations. Following on a press release, the Minister
briefed the media, underlining that the initiative built on
Morocco's March 20 public call for opening the closed border.
This was now a broadened request to comprehensively review
and improve bilateral relations. This should be launched by
a joint meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior,
to be held as soon as possible to address all pending
bilateral issues. This is the immediate action item the GOM
proposed.


3. (C) MFA CoS Nasser Bourita told PolCouns May 7 that the
Moroccan proposal offered what the Algerians had said they
were looking for, when they publicly reacted to the GOM's
earlier public appeal that the border be reopened. In
subsequent commentary on the desirability of reopening the
border, Algerian spokesmen had referred to the need to
address all issues between the two countries. This, Bourita
said, Morocco was now ready to do comprehensively, including
practical items like academic exchanges, which would not
require border opening to move forward. Fassi Fihri had
verbally conveyed to the Charge that Algeria could take the
lead on setting the agenda of the talks, all bilateral issues
could be on the table and the contentious issue of Sahara
should be put to the side. Bourita unsurprisingly commented
that instead, the Sahara question could for now remain in the
UN channel.


4. (C) Bourita acknowledged that Morocco accepted the
indirect messages it had heard from the Algerians. The GOM
recognized that the border issue was a sensitive one that
could not be resolved quickly -- this initiative could become
a process of growing engagement. He also specifically
mentioned readiness to discuss the properties owned by
Algerians that were seized here decades ago. (Note: This is
an issue we previously informally had heard was an important
element of their dispute, but one not mentioned formally in
recent years by a competent GOM official. End note.)


5. (C)Bourita said that the GOM had also learned from the
limited response to its previous public initiatie. That is
why the initiative was proposed in aformal diplomatic note
(full text below). Bouria said the GOM again took a public
approach, parly to quiet domestic voices who criticize any
opeing for their own purposes, such as USFP ex-chairmn and
Minister of State El Yazghi, who, by mentining the Sahara,
disrupted the otherwise positiv atmosphere at the April 27
Tangier conference (ef. B),but did not prevent close
discussion betwen the Prime Ministers. The public
announcement and MFA press release on the new initiative were
delayed late enough in the day May 5 so that they did not
make the news cycle until late May 6 for broadcast or May 7
for the press. Bourita pointed out that press release
contained verbatim the operative text of the diplomatic note.
He highlighted the fact that both diplomatic note and press
release clearly referred to the "Government of His Majesty
the King," to underscore to the Algerians and the Moroccan
public the personal support of Mohammed VI for this
initiative. Mindful that the high-powered Algerian
Ambassador was back home, Minister Fassi Fihri had called him
personally to brief on the proposal, a half-hour before
summoning the Charge.

Algerian Diplomat positive -- Soccer flap defused
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Algerian Charge Boumedienne Guennad (strictly
protect) told PolCouns he believed the Moroccan proposal was
"sincere." While he did not have a formal reaction from
home, he said that Ambassador Belkheir, after receiving his
post-demarche briefing, had reacted positively. He allowed
that a low-key USG intervention with Algerian authorities
encouraging a positive response to this initiative could be
helpful. In the aftermath of the meeting of Prime Ministers
in Tangiers (Ref B),which featured positive discussion of
non-Sahara issues, he was hopeful a process of direct
discussions could be launched


7. (C) On timing, the Charge called the initiative
opportune. Just a few days before, there had been a soccer
match in Algeria between a local team and a visiting Moroccan
Club that had been broadcast nationally on Moroccan
television. When they played the Moroccan national anthem,
the last line referring to God, country and King was dropped.
The Moroccan press, ever prone to sensationalism, made a
mighty hubbub, charging a deliberate insult. Even the
pro-palace Le Matin, which should have been more responsible,
exploited this, Guennad regretted. And the Moroccan Foreign
Ministry had issued a release that it would ask in Algiers
for an explanation. Thus, when he had been called in,
without explanation, by the MFA, Guennad expected to be
dressed down by the Minister, who did not mention the affair
-- to the Charge,s relief.


8. (C) In fact, Guennad said, he had a letter from the head
of the Algerian Soccer Federation claiming that the problem
was the dropped line was missing from the CD provided by the
visiting Moroccan team. Such were the longstanding
suspicions between the neighbors that minor incidents like
this could quickly blow up -- exacerbated by those who did
not want to see improvements in relations. At any rate, at
least, Fassi Fihri's demarche defused the soccer dispute.

Text of Proposal
--------------


9. (U) Embassy,s informal translation of the text of the
GOM diplomatic note passed to Algeria follows:

Begin text.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the
Kingdom of Morocco presents its compliments to the Embassy of
the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria in Rabat and
has the honor to request it to transmit to the honorable
Algerian authorities the following:

The Kingdom of Morocco reiterates its sincere commitment
towards normalizing its bilateral relationship with Algeria,
fraternal and neighboring nation.

The Kingdom of Morocco calls, once again, for the reopening
of the land border between the two countries, closed since
1994, and the resumption of bilateral cooperation in its
various aspects.

The Government of His Majesty the King expresses its full
readiness to engage as soon as possible with the Algerian
authorities in dialogue and consultations required for this
purpose.

Morocco proposes a joint meeting be held of Ministers of
Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Interior of both countries
to comprehensively evaluate the state of bilateral relations,
to consider outstanding issues and to determine, by mutual
agreement, the modalities for an effective and sustainable
revival of the relations between the two fraternal nations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the
Kingdom of Morocco seizes this occasion to renew to the
Embassy of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria in
Rabat of its expression of highest consideration.

End Text.


10. (U) Press and public comment here has been generally
positive, even from outlets often critical of the government,
albeit with limited confidence some individual grousing at
the prospect of rapprochement with Morocco's traditional
rival.


11. (C) COMMENT: There are good reasons to be skeptical, as
we were of the Moroccan appeal for border opening just after
the March 2008 Manhasset Round. At that time, the fact that
the appeal was made publicly, without a direct diplomatic
approach, suggested it was principally a public relations
exercise, although it did gain some positive reaction from
some Algerians.


12. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: This time, however, after
hearing the details from both the MFA and the Algerian
Embassy it seems there may indeed be a potential opening
toward the Morocco-Algerian rapprochement the USG has
increasingly supported. We obviously defer to Embassy
Algiers on the reception this initiative may receive there.
Nonetheless, the Algerian Charge's point that USG
encouragement of the Moroccan offer in Algiers could be
useful, is one Washington may find worth serious
consideration. Perhaps more senior engagement may be
productive, or an offer of a venue, should a neutral one be
desired. It also may be well worth consulting with the P-5
or the Sahara "Friends." We also believe the USG should ask
the Moroccans now to make some symbolic gesture of sincerity
on the ground in Sahara, such as those suggested in Ref. B,
particularly on the human rights/impunity issues that were
successfully kept out of the UNSC resolution. END COMMENT.


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Riley