Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CASABLANCA42
2009-03-12 13:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Casablanca
Cable title:  

PDAS KIRBY ADDRESSES FRUSTRATIONS OF MOROCCO'S BUSINESS

Tags:  CVIS CMGT ASEC EINV ETRD EFIN PGOV MO 
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0042 0711301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121301Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8320
INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8546
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0393
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0693
UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000042 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR
USDOC FOR MAC/ANESA
USDOC FOR ITA/ANESA RD/CREED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CMGT ASEC EINV ETRD EFIN PGOV MO

SUBJECT: PDAS KIRBY ADDRESSES FRUSTRATIONS OF MOROCCO'S BUSINESS
COMMUNITY

UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000042

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR
USDOC FOR MAC/ANESA
USDOC FOR ITA/ANESA RD/CREED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CMGT ASEC EINV ETRD EFIN PGOV MO

SUBJECT: PDAS KIRBY ADDRESSES FRUSTRATIONS OF MOROCCO'S BUSINESS
COMMUNITY


1. (SBU) Summary: The Moroccan-American Chamber of Commerce in
Morocco (AmCham) hosted a business lunch March 2 for PDAS Michael
Kirby of the Bureau of Consular Affairs. The event was attended by
56 business men and women representing numerous industry sectors.
AmCham Board Members, the Consul General, and the Senior Commercial
Officer also participated in the lunch, which was covered
extensively in the local press. The business community used the
forum to vent their frustrations with long delays and impersonal
treatment by U.S. officials at ports of entry. PDAS Kirby stressed
that the U.S. believes in treating individuals with dignity and
noted that he and Assistant Secretary Jacobs were discussing issues
such as the ones raised by the group at high levels in Washington.
End Summary.

2. (SBU) PDAS Kirby (in Casablanca to participate in a regional
Consular Leadership Development Course) began with a general
overview of the Bureau of Consular Affairs' efforts to improve
handling of business visa requests around the world. He described
CA's use of IT to upgrade and streamline the processing of visa
requests. He stressed the necessity of high-quality visa interview
and of shortening the waiting period for clearances. He also noted
that this needed to be balanced with keeping out individuals
threatening to U.S. national security. He noted the important
contributions that trade and investment make to Morocco's and the
U.S. economy and the key element that travel by Moroccans to the
U.S. made to enhancing economic ties.

3. (SBU) During the question and answer period, several senior
company executives representing U.S. firms in Morocco raised serious
concerns about exceedingly long delays at the port of entry which
often caused missed connecting flights, without explanation for the
hold up, and involved highly personal questioning or requests for
passwords to access personal computers. Others mentioned the
inconsistent guidance given to travelers by immigration officials
and airlines concerning NSEERS exit registration processing and
penalties.

4. (SBU) PDAS Kirby noted that in many instances, such additional
processing at the port of entry was justified. He stated that the
U.S. believes in treating individuals with dignity. He also said
that he and Assistant Secretary Jacobs were discussing issues such
as these at high levels in Washington.

5. (SBU) The participants noted that the U.S. is one of the few
countries that issues tourist and business visas to Moroccans for 10
years. PDAS Kirby added that unlike many other countries, the U.S.
does not require visitors to register once they have been admitted.
Thus, while the entry process might take longer than for travel to
other destinations, it is still a single process and does not
require multiple steps. One participant countered that when you
have countries like Turkey, to which Moroccans can travel without a
visa, that are in close proximity and ready to roll out the red
carpet to do business, it creates much greater incentives to conduct
business with them rather than with potential prospects in the U.S.
PDAS Kirby responded that each country's immigration system is based
on its needs and its culture and that ours reflects who we are. He
stressed that we want Moroccans to visit the U.S. and to feel
welcome in our country.

6. (SBU) The discussion moved beyond personal accounts and touched
on ways to remove obstacles to bilateral business. The CG
recounted her experience with the business community in India where
a bilateral, high-level business committee had very successfully
identified six concrete ways to remove objectives to bilateral
trade. The group thought this initiative should be replicated with
representatives from the Moroccan and U.S. business communities.

7. (SBU) Another participant recommended that the AmCham send a
delegation comprised of business representatives to Washington to
take the message to the White House and to Congress about the need
to revise and improve entry and exit procedures. PDAS Kirby noted
that AmChams around the world play an important role in promoting
U.S. exports and that appropriately coordinated suggestions on how
to encourage U.S. trade could be useful, but he stopped short of
making any comment on the efficacy of any message.

8. PDAS Kirby cleared this cable.
MILLARD