ALGERIA: ENGAGEMENT FOLLOWING PRESIDENT'S CAIRO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 ALGIERS 000717

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2019
TAGS: PREL OEXC ECON EINV SCUL SENV SOCI TSPL KISL
AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA: ENGAGEMENT FOLLOWING PRESIDENT'S CAIRO
SPEECH

REF: A. SECSTATE 71325

B. ALGIERS 543

C. ALGIERS 673

Classified By: Ambassador David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. The President's June 4 speech in Cairo was
closely watched by a generally receptive Algerian public, as
was his July speech in Ghana. Our Algerian contacts
appreciated the President's effort at Muslim outreach --
epitomized by opening the speech with "assalaamu alaykum" --
and believed the sincerity of his message that the United
States and the Muslim-world can bridge the gaps in our mutual
understanding. But they are quick to point out that, in the
near term, the Algerian general public will be skeptical of
U.S. commitments to engage the region absent real progress on
Israeli-Palestinian relations. Beyond that, they want the
kind of longer-timeline engagement that can bring basic
security and socio-economic development to a country that is
still emerging from a dark decade of brutal violence and
terrorism. Post's engagement has focused on economic and
capacity-building initiatives, as well as helping to develop
Algeria's stunted civil society and promote political and
economic reforms that will lessen the appeal of extremism.
English language instruction, civilian nuclear cooperation,
commercial promotion of green technology, and military
medical exchanges exemplify how the goals outlined in the
Cairo speech may be translated into tangible results. We
face serious challenges in our operating environment,
however, including a significant terrorism threat and
security restrictions, a fossilized government, an
obstructionist bureaucracy, a regressive investment policy,
and a citizenry distrustful of its politicians. In addition
to post programs, high-level engagement, including VIP visits
to Algeria, are an important motor to drive U.S. engagement
in Algeria and our soft-power cooperation programs. We would
also note that Algerians face the same visa/SAO challenges
that other posts have cited, particularly regarding
commercial contacts with time-sensitive travel plans. END
SUMMARY.

REACTION TO SPEECH: DEEDS MUST FOLLOW WORDS
--------------


2. (U) Algerians have expressed cautious optimism over
President Obama's speech in Cairo, as well as his speech in
Ghana (ref B). The French language press coverage was
generally positive, hailing the President's message as one
that Arabs and Muslims are not used to hearing from U.S.
presidents, and considering the speech a turning point in
U.S. relations with the Muslim world. The Arabic language
press, on the other hand, was more reserved in its
assessment, opining that President Obama's speech will not
lead to real change for the Muslim world unless Arabs and
Muslims bring about change themselves. Overall, the speech
helped improve the image of the U.S. in Algeria, but many of
our contacts remain skeptical that USG policy will change
significantly. Algerians were particularly interested in the
President's assertion in Ghana that Africa needs strong
institutions rather than strongmen and that constitutions
should not be changed simply to allow an individual to remain
in power. The Algerian constitution was changed last
November to allow President Bouteflika to run for a third
term. While Algeria is part of both the Arab world and
Africa, Algerians do not feel they belong wholly to either.
Thus, while the sentiments expressed in each speech have
resonance for Algerians, they see themselves to some extent
as a secondary audience in both cases, underlining the belief
that any actions we take must address this country on its own
terms, not in a Pan-Arab or Pan-African context.


3. (C) University of Algiers sociologist Zoubir Arous told
us July 15 that Algerians reacted positively to President's
Obama's Cairo speech but added that the message needed to
translate into action. "Algerians need to see concrete
steps, otherwise they will view Cairo the same way they view
Bouteflika's many promises, as just talk." Political analyst
and journalist Ali Mebroukine provided us similar feedback on
July 13 before he authored a full-page article in the
French-language daily "L'Expression" July 26 that commented
on how President Obama's prescriptions for better governance
in Africa applied to Algeria.


4. (C) In a roundtable discussion with the Ambassador,
local staff echoed much of the press and commentator
sentiments toward the Cairo speech, stressing that Algerians
appreciated the President's overtures. They deemed the
speech historic and a departure from USG interactions with

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the Muslim world in recent years and were satisfied by the
messages of hope and tolerance. They added, however, that
Algerians are generally distrustful of politicians and their
promises, meaning they will need to see concrete actions to
back up the speech's eloquence and emotion. One of the most
pointed criticisms, leveled at the speech by one of our women
employees, was focused on the discussion of the veil. There
are many more compelling issues facing Muslim women, she
felt, such as domestic violence, limited voting rights,
underage marriage, unequal legal treatment regarding marriage
and divorce, and a lack of equal opportunity in employment
and daily life.

SHORT-TERM ENGAGEMENT SHAPED BY PEACE PROCESS
--------------


5. (C) Our local staff, like press commentators and the
political analysts we talked to, are quick to point out that
the message delivered in Cairo will be viewed first and
foremost in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Algerians feel a deep sympathy toward the Palestinian people
and view Israeli settlements and recent military actions in
Gaza through the lens of their own colonial past. Writer
Mustapha Cherif told us he was ambivalent about the Cairo
speech, because the message of hope stands in contrast to the
outstanding political questions regarding the rights of
Palestinians to live freely. Sociologist Arous told us that
making progress on the Israeli/Palestinian peace process was
the key to demonstrating U.S. resolve in improving relations
with the Muslim world. U.S. pressure on Israel to halt
settlement activity was a good sign, he said, "but you need
to be more firm with Netanyahu and Lieberman on the issue."
Arous added: "You need to talk to Hamas, whether you like it
or not."


6. (C) As we reported in ref C, the Algerian government
feels that the domestic security situation limits what
immediate steps it can take toward normalization with Israel.
Algerians will thus not be completely won over by USG
follow-up to the Cairo speech without seeing progress in the
peace process, for which they are skeptical; our contacts
largely recognize that President Obama, while perhaps in a
stronger position politically than his predecessors to move
forward on difficult issues like settlements, must balance
competing interests that will likely prevent quick solutions.
(Note: A particularly Algerian add-on to the Palestinian
issue is what many here regard as the parallel issue of
Western Sahara. By this line of argument, perceptions of USG
policy toward the Western Sahara and Washington's commitment
to Sahrawi self-determination as part of a final resolution
of that conflict is another measure by which U.S. sincerity
will be gauged in Algeria. End note)

EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT REQUIRES LONG-TERM VISION
-------------- -


7. (C) The concrete actions sought by Algerians will not be
easy to achieve with short-term strategies. In his published
commentary on the President's remarks in Ghana, analyst
Mebroukine argued that dialogue is needed in Algeria between
the government and civil society and that institutions like
the judiciary must be strengthened and public services
improved to put Algeria on a path toward achieving Prime
Minister Ouyahia's strategy for good governance by 2014.
Local staff told the Ambassador that while Algeria is in dire
need of rebuilding its civil society torn apart during the
decade of violence and terrorism experienced in the 1990s,
the continuing state of emergency imposes real limits to this
effort, due to the restrictions imposed on freedom of
association in the name of security. They said the speech's
focus on the rule of law and equal administration of justice
had resonance, due to the widespread perception that many of
those in power here are above the law. Our staff felt that
while most Algerians would like to see broad political reform
and robust institutions, they must focus most of their
attention and energy on day-to-day survival: security, food,
shelter, and the health of their families.

ENGAGEMENT IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
--------------


8. (U) Our outreach efforts since the Cairo speech have
included a speaker program July 6-7 with Dr. Lorenzo Morris
of Howard University, who held several round-table events
with political contacts, journalists, professors, and
students focused primarily on the recent U.S. presidential
elections and what might be expected during President Obama's
administration. He also gave print, radio, and television

ALGIERS 00000717 003 OF 005


interviews and received extensive positive press coverage.
On July 9, American blues and jazz performer Bernard Allison
played at the PanAfrican Festival in Algiers to wild acclaim,
and we arranged for the Director of the Smithsonian
Institute's National Museum of African Art to appear on
Algerian television and in the print media to highlight the
cultural significance of the festival as well as a proposal
to bring an exhibit of Algerian art to Washington. We also
launched the 2009 Youth Leadership Program on July 12 with
the Ambassador hosting a lunch for 25 Algerian young people
who will spend several weeks in the United States on an
English language exchange program. The question-and-answer
session prior to the students' departure was popular as it
afforded them an opportunity to act as "junior ambassadors"
to enhance bilateral cultural awareness.


9. (U) Our English language programs provide the greatest
inroad to widespread engagement in education and youth and
empowerment of women in Algeria. They have been very
well-received and reach a key demographic of young Algerians.
The ongoing two-year Access micro-scholarhsip program
targets 14- to 16-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds
and has been established in nine cities across the country.
The NEA Intensive Undergraduate English Language Program sent
10 college-aged Algerians to American universities for
intensive language instruction, over half of whom were
military academy cadets. The MEPI-funded PSP program on July
22 completed another in a series of training session for
Algerian public school inspectors who will train others and
evaluate the performance of English-language instructors in
Western Algeria, with follow-on programming expected in the
fall. A USAID regional partnership with Mentouri University
in Constantine will also train the trainers in
English-language instruction and class management, and we
have English Language Fellows at universities in Oran and
Constantine who provide instruction and support to our
American Corners programming. We now have three American
Corners operating across Algeria, reaching an estimated
student population of 130,000. We have tried to launch a
more comprehensive program with the ministry of national
Education, but bureaucratic obstacles have so far stalled
this effort.


10. (U) A MEPI-funded program by the National Council of
State Legislators (NCSL) in late June provided constituent
relations training to 200 parliamentarians and their limited
professional staff, which received a surprising amount of
press coverage. Perhaps more important, through that effort
we were finally able to obtain ministry of interior
authorization for a regional legislative body to meet with us
and NCSL program specialists, and the legislative assembly of
Oran recently sent us a formal, written request for technical
assistance in the areas of constituent relations and civic
education.

ENGAGEMENT IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP
-------------- --------------


11. (U) At the request of the minister of post,
information, communications, and technology, we have
submitted a single country proposal through the International
Visitor Program to take a group of Algerian government
officials in charge of aspects of technology research and
business development to Silicon Valley to review how start-up
companies can be incentivized and nurtured. The program aims
to familiarize the Algerian visitors with the relationship,
fundamental to innovation, between research work at
institutions like Stanford University and the commercial
application of that work, e.g. by firms in Silicon Valley.
The Commercial Law Development Program at the Department of
Commerce is developing a similar program using MEPI funds
with co-funding from the GOA that would demonstrate best
practices to a set of Algerian companies and an Algerian
agency in charge of technology transfer, including how
Algerian firms could license U.S. technologies for
application in Algeria.

ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
--------------


12. (U) Our newly re-established commercial office
organized a Green Tech fair on July 13, bringing a dozen U.S.
firms involved in the water treatment and pollution control
sectors to Algiers to exhibit their products and services.
In addition to wide press coverage, over 200 Algerian
government officials and business representatives attended
the fair, which generated over 150 trade leads for American
companies. The minister of water resources spoke privately

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with the Ambassador about his desire to see more American
firms engaged in this sector. Since the Green Tech event,
our commercial office has met with government officials in
charge of water projects who said the agency was taking
specific steps, such as English-language tender documents and
extended filing deadlines, to attract U.S. firms,
specifically those identified as leaders in applying this
technology, to expand development projects in Algeria.


13. (U) We have a science and technology agreement with
Algeria, and the most successful effort in this domain
centers on the civilian use of nuclear technology. The
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the
Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) have developed what will likely be a
two-year engagement plan with the Algerian atomic regulatory
agency (COMENA) focused on radiation health physics. In
conjunction with the NNSA project, the State Department's
Nuclear Security Assistance Program (NSAP) has funded the
travel of leading Algerian nuclear researchers and regulators
to conferences regarding nuclear waste management and human
resources issues, including a July 12 conference in Arizona.
These exchanges have opened a fruitful dialogue with COMENA
as the GOA develops a comprehensive civilian nuclear policy
and legislative framework for applying nuclear technology and
considers the development of nuclear power generation.


14. (SBU) Our mil-mil engagement has been limited, but a
growing area of cooperation has been in the area of medical
exchanges. A group of Algerians traveled to Texas in
mid-July to tour Department of Defense medical facilities and
exchange ideas on best practices, a follow-on to the visit to
Algeria earlier in the year of U.S. military medical
professionals who were well-received at Algerian military
hospitals and university medical training facilities. The
focus has been on improving the military's role as
first-responders in mass casualty situations, such as
earthquakes.

WHAT WE NEED
--------------


15. (C) While the President's speech stirred considerable
interest, expectations for real change are quite low.
Algerians not only distrust politicians in general but
believe their own leaders are making little progress on
issues beyond combating terrorism. If we are to be effective
in engaging Algeria, we must continue to expand efforts
already under way that acknowledge the imperative of
improving socio-economic conditions in Algeria. Only this
will turn the country's increasingly restive youth population
away from violent extremism and toward goals of prosperity,
social mobility, and political engagement through
constitutional channels.


16. (C) Post has used funding from a number of sources to
engage the Algerians in our core mission goals of
counter-terrorism and combating violent extremism as well as
encouraging political and economic reform. But we are also
encouraging commercial engagement in Algeria outside of the
oil and gas sector. And as the recent Green Tech fair
demonstrates, such efforts hold promise. An opaque and
lethargic government bureaucracy will continue to make this
engagement challenging. We also face some of the same SAO
issues on visa applications for exchange visitors, commercial
contacts and government officials that other posts have
reported. Delays in visa issuance confuses and frustrates
our good contacts and also occasionally forces the
cancellation of visits to the United States. For example,
several businessmen were forced to drop off the first-ever
commercial service delegation to the Offshore Technology
Conference (OTC) in Houston this past spring. Nevertheless,
as our efforts in the area of English-language instruction
show, programming seen as apolitical and of direct-benefit to
the Algerian people can be effective and popular. In
general, we should invest heavily in exchanges, and remember
that they are long-term programs, not something that will
have a quick and visible payoff. We would like to see the
short-term MEPI-style programming continue and grow, but with
a recognition that programs need to be tailored to the
Algerian environment and should be designed for engagement
over a period of one to two years with specific end-results
in mind rather than single events modeled after
capacity-building conferences held in more developed
countries in the region. In that regard, post also requires
the human resources required to administer the myriad
cooperation programs this active engagement strategy entails,
such as the MEPI-programming and grants administrative

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position we are currently establishing.


17. (SBU) The security environment remains a severe
constraint on post's ability to carry out programming. But
despite the significant restrictions on in-country travel,
Embassy Algiers staff have found creative ways to operate,
and we find that Algerians are also willing to meet us
halfway, at places where we can work. Nevertheless, as long
as the threat of extremist violence against our personnel
remains high, operating safely will inevitably be a primary
factor in the Mission's planning for this vital work.
PEARCE