MAURITANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SEES ALGERIA AS

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000818 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EPET MR AG SUBJECT: MAURITANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SEES ALGERIA AS HINDERING RESPONSE TO AQIM THREAT Classified By: Ambassador Mark Boulware for Reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Mauritanian Foreign Minister sees Algeria as hindering a regional response to the AQIM threat -- both by seeking to exclude some regional countries (presumably Morocco) from the conversation and dissuading neighbors from cooperating with external partners like AFRICOM. The Mauritanians see a certain amount of Algerian self interest in the status quo by preventing petroleum resources to be developed in northern Mali which could provide an independent form of revenue for disaffected tribes in southern Algeria. The Foreign Minister believes Algeria has the means to eliminate the AQIM threat in northern Mali, but does not have the interest. End Summary ¶2. (C) Algeria Blocking a Regional Response: During a December 27 meeting with the Ambassador on a separate matter, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Naha Mint Mouknass emphasized the need for a coordinated regional response to the rising AQIM threat evidenced by the two recent kidnappings in Mauritania. She noted, "Neither we nor Mali have the personnel or means to take on AQIM on our own," and emphasized, "this needs a regional response." "Algeria is the key to the solution," but she lamented Algiers has been blocking progress towards the long awaited regional security summit by demanding that "certain countries be excluded" (she did not cite which country, but we presume she was talking about Morocco. After seizing the policy lead in the earlier Tamarassett conference, Mouknass suggested Algiers has not done much else and, indeed, has tried to dissuade countries in the region from accepting U.S. support through AFRICOM. She added, however, that Mauritania very much wants to receive U.S. assistance. ¶3. (C) Mauritanians Love Their Conspiracies: The Minister went on to suggest that Algeria has an interest in seeing the instability posed by AQIM in northern Mali. The status quo prevents western companies from exercising their exploration rights in the region. "The western companies don't dare go there, but somehow SONATRACH (the Algerian state oil company) seems to manage just fine." She saw Algeria interested in ensuring that, if commercially viable petroleum reserves are found in the northern Mali/southern Algeria region, the pipeline will head north to be controlled by Algiers rather than heading west towards the more economically rational Mauritanian port of Nouadhibou. Aside from economic interests, Mouknass said Algiers has a political desire to control oil in that region because a routing via Mauritania would allow the Tuareg and other tribes of the border region to have the possibility of an economic base independent of their capitals' largess. Mouknass decried Algiers' treatment of their southern population as "second class citizens." She went on to say that the Algerians have "perfect knowledge" of the comings and goings of AQIM and have the means to prevent AQIM from threatening Mali and Mauritania if they wanted to. ¶4. (C) Comment: The Foreign Minister's diatribe against Algeria came as a bit of a surprise, although it is consistent with rumors that Mauritania is prepared to take a more overtly pro-Moroccan line in its foreign policy -- including a less neutral stance on Western Sahara. Her comments were also a departure from blaming Mali for being too cozy with AQIM. The Minister is known for her strong personal ties with regional leaders, but she has not expressed herself strongly in the past on regional security dynamics. We would imagine her comments reflect discussions with the Moroccans and probably discussions within the Mauritanian security and foreign policy leadership -- particularly ideas voiced by President Aziz. We cannot comment on what, if any, kernel of truth exists in the Minister's conspiracy theory but raise it as a reflection of deteriorating Nouakchott-Algiers relations. End Comment. BOULWARE