Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE125123
2008-11-25 22:04:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

NEA A/S DAVID WELCH'S NOVEMBER 21 CONVERSATION

Tags:  PBTS PGOV PREL AG IR IS IZ LE MO SY WI 
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TO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0000
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0000
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0000
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0000
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0000
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0000
S E C R E T STATE 125123 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2018
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PREL AG IR IS IZ LE MO SY WI
SUBJECT: NEA A/S DAVID WELCH'S NOVEMBER 21 CONVERSATION
WITH ALGERIAN AMBASSADOR BAALI

Classified By: NEA A/S David Welch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T STATE 125123

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2018
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PREL AG IR IS IZ LE MO SY WI
SUBJECT: NEA A/S DAVID WELCH'S NOVEMBER 21 CONVERSATION
WITH ALGERIAN AMBASSADOR BAALI

Classified By: NEA A/S David Welch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: A/S Welch welcomed Abdallah Baali as the new
Algerian Ambassador November 21. He spoke candidly about the
shortcomings of the bilateral relationship, and offered ways
that Baali could improve it -- e.g. through increasing the
number of Algerians students enrolled in the U.S. and
improving the business climate in Algeria. A/S Welch also
encouraged Algeria to be a more active partner with the U.S.
on regional issues, such as Israel-Palestine, Iran, and Iraq.
End summary.

BAALI'S BILATERAL PRIORITIES
--------------

Open Skies
--------------


2. (SBU) Baali mentioned that he had seen EEB DAS in charge
of Transportation John Byerly November 17 to discuss the Open
Skies agreement. He noted that the agreement had been
"stuck" since 2000, but would help open an air route between
Algiers and New York. Baali said that during his
consultations in Algiers, he learned that it should be
possible for the GOA to allow packages of less than 50 grams
to be delivered from the U.S. to Algeria. Baali said he
thought that Algeria amending legislation would make an Open
Skies agreement possible. He said he hoped to have
"something" before the end of the year.

Visa Reciprocity
--------------


3. (U) Baali said that he hoped to increase visa reciprocity
from one year to three years.

Education
--------------


4. (U) Baali also expressed a desire to increase his outreach
to the Algerian community within the U.S., and stressed the
need to increase student exchanges, as well as English
language instruction in Algeria. A/S Welch agreed that
increasing educational exchanges should be a priority. He
said that there are over a half million foreign students
studying in the U.S., and that among the top twenty countries
sending students here, only one was Arab -- Saudi Arabia,
with approximately 8,000 students. He acknowledged that

Algeria might be concerned about brain drain, but asserted
that many graduates of U.S. universities return home to form
a modernizing, technocratic elite. He added that U.S.
companies could partner with universities to create
vocational opportunities in Algeria, but opined that Algeria
would have to become friendlier to business.

Business and Trade
--------------


5. (U) Baali said trade between Algeria and the U.S. would
amount to about $20 billion by the end of the year, and he
highlighted the good work of the U.S.-Algeria Business
Council. A/S Welch acknowledged that Algeria is one of the
U.S.' most important trading partners in the Middle East, but
said that because the bureaucracy is so outdated, it is
difficult to do business there. Baali agreed that there is
work to be done to attract additional U.S. investment, but
opined that legislative changes would not be likely until
after the Algerian presidential election.

Military Relations
--------------


6. (C) Baali said that because of the weight of the past and
a legacy of relations with the Soviet Union, it has been
difficult for Algeria to form better military relations with
the U.S. However, he said that a new guard of Algerian
military leaders wants better military relations with the
U.S. A/S Welch said that NEA has faced similar situations
with other countries, but pointed out that a basic respect
between U.S. and Algerian military and intelligence officials
is lacking. Baali committed to improve the political
dimension to those relationships.

Congressional Outreach
--------------


7. (U) Baali acknowledged that his Embassy needs to increase
its outreach, and therefore has tasked an additional diplomat
to cover Congress. He said he would meet Senator Inhofe in
December and would host a dinner for staffers on November 25.
A/S Welch offered to help make introductions, stressing that
the Secretary and NEA have good reputations on the Hill with
both parties.

REGIONAL ISSUES
--------------

Western Sahara
--------------


8. (C) Baali assured A/S Welch that the U.S.-Algerian
bilateral relationship would be more important to him than
Western Sahara, but opined that the Moroccan autonomy plan
had not succeeded, and that it was decreasingly likely to
succeed in the future. He opined that if Bouteflika is
re-elected president, he would take up the Western Sahara
issue and work toward a solution. Solving Western Sahara
would open a range of possibilities to improve regional
relations.


9. (C) Baali said he had told Deputy Secretary Negroponte
earlier in November that he understood why the U.S. had taken
its position on Western Sahara, but suggested that a more
neutral position could have helped. A/S Welch said that the
U.S. took the position because it appeared to be the most
realistic solution, but that it was difficult to ascertain
how to achieve it. He opined that if Algeria projected a
different attitude toward Morocco, Morocco could be more
receptive. Baali said he hoped to see the issue solved.

Algeria-Morocco relations
--------------


10. (C) A/S Welch said that as follow-up to the Secretary's
trip to the region, it seemed propitious to invite the
Algerian and Moroccan foreign ministers to meet with her on
the margins of UNGA. FM Medelci first agreed, then declined
under instructions from Bouteflika. A/S Welch stressed our
intention not to embarrass anyone, but to facilitate better
relations, without being directive. Baali confided that he
heard Bouteflika had indeed agreed as long as the meeting was
informal, with no mediation, but did not know why Bouteflika
changed his mind.

Guantanamo Detainees
--------------


11. (S) A/S Welch asked Baali to thank Bouteflika for the
GOA's acceptance of the return of Algerian detainees from
Guantanamo. Baali noted that the U.S. seemed to have a big
problem with Yemeni detainees, since the Yemeni government
would not be able to handle so many. A/S Welch said that the
Algerian government could help by providing financial support
to Yemen. He said that the Yemenis already receive technical
support from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who have very effective
rehabilitation programs.

Broader Regional Affairs
--------------


12. (C) A/S Welch encouraged Baali to create more
opportunities for a high-level dialog on broader regional
issues, such as Israel-Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. He said
that Palestinian president Abbas appreciated Algeria's
support, and suggested it could be useful for us to discuss
the goal of U.S. strategy on the issue in order to identify
different ways to attain it.


13. (S) Turning to Iran, Baali said that if the U.S. becomes
interested in opening a dialog with Iran, his government may
be able to help. A/S Welch opined that Iran's behavior and
the Israel-Palestine conflict intersect, and that if the time
came, Algeria could be in a position to help with regard to
Syria.


14. (C) On Iraq, A/S Welch asked for the Algerian
government's assistance in urging key Iraqis to support the
Iraqi parliament's approval of the U.S. Security Agreement
with Iraq.
RICE