Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RABAT739
2008-08-08 13:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

WESTERN SAHARA: UNHCR MANEUVERING AROUND A

Tags:  PREF PBTS UNHCR PREL KHDP WI AG MO 
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0739/01 2211355
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081355Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8964
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 4871
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3662
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 6041
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3800
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5099
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4249
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1087
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0852
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000739 

SIPDIS


STATE FOR PRM, IO/PSC, PM/WRA, AND NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: PREF PBTS UNHCR PREL KHDP WI AG MO
SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA: UNHCR MANEUVERING AROUND A
POLITICAL BERM

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000739

SIPDIS


STATE FOR PRM, IO/PSC, PM/WRA, AND NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018
TAGS: PREF PBTS UNHCR PREL KHDP WI AG MO
SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA: UNHCR MANEUVERING AROUND A
POLITICAL BERM

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) Western Sahara Operations Director Sergio
Calle-Noreno (protect) said that he had received an agreement
in principle from the Government of Morocco (GOM),the
Polisario, and Algeria in May to attend a conference in
Geneva in July to discuss and sign an accord on allowing land
crossings between Moroccan and Polisario controlled territory
as part of the UN's Confidence Building Measures (CBM)
program in Western Sahara. However, recent Polisario
statements criticizing UN Special Representative Peter Van
Walsum and threatening to reconsider participation in the
Manhasset process have had a chilling effect on the May CBM
thaw. Calle-Noreno has built a coalition of embassies in
Rabat willing to fund the demining and other equipment
necessary to facilitate land crossings and does not want to
miss this window of opportunity. As a result of intensive
recent advocacy on his part, all three parties have
tentatively agreed to meet in Geneva under UNHCR auspices in
September, but Calle-Noreno is concerned that the commitments
are not firm. He urgently requested USG assistance in
convincing the three parties to move forward on this issue.
End Summary.

--------------
Air Transport: Low Volume, High Cost
--------------


2. (C) On July 29, United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) Western Sahara Operations Director Sergio
Calle-Norena met with PolOffs to brief the Embassy on the
state and status of UNHCR's CBM program in Western Sahara.
Currently, the CBMs consist of a weekly reciprocal UN family
reunification flight that ferries approved family members
between the Polisario camps near Tindouf and Laayoune,
Dakhla, and elsewhere in Moroccan-controlled territory. Each
aircraft (which is leased from MINURSO on a fee for service
basis) carries approximately 37 people (less when weather and
temperatures dictate). The selection process for

participation in the family unification visits is detailed
and involves time-consuming verification steps. In 2004, the
first list of approved beneficiaries was drawn up and was
updated in December 2007 and January 2008. Five thousand
people have participated in the program so far, but 30,000
individuals remain on the list.

--------------
Land Crossing: Higher Volume, Lower Cost
--------------


3. (C) Calle-Noreno and UNHCR believe the most affordable
and efficient way to increase both the frequency of family
unification visits and the number of participants is to
encourage the three parties to cooperate on clearing a
section of the berm dividing the territory to allow for land
crossing via bus. Both sides of the berm are heavily mined.
On the Moroccan side, up to 40 km west as far as Makhbas
would need to be demined and, on the Polisario side, up to 12
km east as far as the "border" with Algieria require
demining. In addition to demining along the main roadway,
clearing would be necessary up to 100 meters off each side of
the road.


4. (C) Crossing by land would allow between 87 and 100
individuals to travel per busload at a fraction of the price
of the current air exchange. The specially reinforced and
modified buses necessary to traverse the terrain would
represent a one-time cost of between USD 80,000 and 100,000,
but annual operating outlays would be negligible in
comparison to the aircraft usage fees.

-------------- --
Proposed Berm Breach Provokes Algerian Military
Concerns
-------------- --


5. (C) Calle-Norena acknowledged Algeria's concerns that
dismantling part of the berm and demining at Kilometer 75
(the most geographically feasible spot to create a land
crossing) would open an unprotected straight-line route to
Tindouf from Morocco. For this reason, he said, the Algerian

Government considers demining a strategic threat and wants
firm security assurances and practical mitigating measures.
It will agree, according to Calle-Noreno, only if there is
parallel dismantling and an agreed amount of artillery and
heavy military equipment and a mutual draw down of troops on
both the western and eastern sides of the line near the berm
breach point.

--------------
Pieces in Place...
--------------


6. (C) In May, Calle-Noreno said he had gotten agreement
from the three parties to meet in Geneva in July at UNHCR
headquarters to resolve final issues and publicly sign an
accord on the land crossings. However, recent tensions over
statements by UN Special Representative Peter Van Walsum on
the "realism" of Morocco's autonomy proposal and the
Polisario's subsequent unofficial refusal to attend the next
Manhasset round if Van Walsum is still in place led all sides
to call a halt.


7. (C) In the past two months, through intensive "shuttle
diplomacy" between Moroccan, Polisario and Algerian
ministries and power brokers, he succeeded in obtaining
tentative verbal agreements to resume the planning process
and build towards a rescheduled Geneva conference, to be held
from September 13-19 or 22-26.


8. (C) As part of his May round of negotiations,
Calle-Noreno approached foreign embassies in Rabat to solicit
financial and political support. He reported that the Nordic
Countries (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway) all
committed to funding demining. The German government offered
to provide appropriate buses for transport as well demining
services. The Dutch also offered buses and demining support.
However, he is concerned that interest and commitments may
evaporate if the land crossing initiative appears to be mired
in Manhasset politics or far from an agreement.

--------------
...But Nudge Needed
--------------


9. (C) Calle-Norena requested USG assistance in urging
Morocco and Algeria to support and move forward on the CBM
initiative, particularly since no date has been set for
Manhasset V. He felt that the U.S. was well positioned to
push the Moroccans toward agreeing to meet in Geneva in
September, and believed the USG could play a similarly useful
role in Algiers. He said that framing the CBMs as a
"humanitarian concern" rather than a political issue could
help make it more palatable to the antagonists.


10. (C) Calle-Norena has discussed this issue extensively
with the Moroccan regional Governor of Laayoune and Boujdour
Mohammed Dryef, senior Polisario leadership, Moroccan
Ministry of Interior (MOI) Director-General Mohiddine Amzazi
(Deputy Secretary equivalent),MOI Governor Khalid Zerouali
(Under Secretary equivalent),and Algerian MFA Director of
Human Rights and General Political Affairs Lazhar Soualem.
Amzazi gave him a tentative verbal agreement on the September
Geneva meeting, but made public Moroccan commitment
conditional on Calle-Noreno's obtaining firm commitments from
Algiers and Tindouf. Calle-Noreno is currently in Algeria
until August 12 attempting to firm up support there.

--------------
UNHCR Personnel Changes
--------------


11. (C) Calle-Norena also touched on upcoming personnel
changes at UNHCR. He is scheduled to transfer out of his
position in the fall and will be succeeded by Fatiha Sadi, a
Sudanese national and Senior Nutritional Officer in Geneva.
Her appointment is causing some concern in Rabat as she
served with UNHCR in Tindouf from 2002 to 2004. Calle-Noreno
said that some within the Moroccan Government see her as
tainted as a result. His Moroccan interlocutors expressed
their unhappiness to Chim and other UNHCR officials in Geneva
but the Moroccan Government has not "yet" submitted a formal
request for Sadi to not occupy her position.


--------------
Comment
--------------


12. (C) While Morocco does not oppose the CBM program, it
certainly is not enthusiastic or committed to it. Comments
from MFA and MOI officials lead us to believe that the GOM
tolerates the program as the "cost of doing business" on the
international stage, but would not consider it a loss if it
ended or was curtailed. However, because Morocco is so
conscious of its international image, it is loathe to appear
obstructionist or uncooperative, and will not take actions in
the humanitarian field that would make it appear so. The CBM
program is one of the few current areas of success in the
Western Sahara peace process. All three parties may be
willing to move on this area to show their commitment to
progress as a counterpoint to the perceived Manhasset
stalemate. After appropriate consultations with the affected
embassies and other actors, it might be productive for the
Department to instruct Embassy Rabat and Algiers to approach
their respective host governments and encourage support for
this next phase of the CBM program. End Comment.


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Riley