MOROCCO COMMITS TO GICNT PLENARY MEETING AT THE

UNCLAS RABAT 000342 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG DESK OFFICER RANDALL KAAILAU AND ISN/WMDT MEGGEN WATT AND DANIELA HELFET E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL PTER MNUC KGIC KNNP RS NL MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO COMMITS TO GICNT PLENARY MEETING AT THE HAGUE REF: STATE 035549 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Morocco plans to participate in the upcoming GICNT plenary session at The Hague June 16-17 and will give a presentation during the conference. Morocco seeks U.S. high level participation in the GICNT seminar it plans to host in Rabat June 3-5 and requests information on the make-up of the U.S. delegations to both the Rabat and The Hague conferences. Morocco also requests the U.S. to commit to deliver a presentation during the Rabat conference as well as any details about possible new members joining the GICNT group during the plenary session. End Summary. -------------- Troika Demarche to Morocco -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Dutch PolOff Dirk Klaasen delivered his country's invitation requesting Morocco's participation in the 5th Global Initiative To Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) plenary meeting to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director of United Nations Division Azzedine Farhane on April 21. Klaasen delivered this invitation and presented a copy of the proposed agenda jointly and in cooperation with Russian Poloff Ganzey Maxim and Poloff. -------------- -- Morocco Commits to Attend GICNT Plenary Session -------------- -- ¶3. (SBU) Farhane accepted the invitation and said that Morocco is looking forward to participate in the event at The Hague on June 16-17, 2009. MFA Secretary General Youssef Amrani plus five or six other members will likely make up the Moroccan delegation. Farhane agreed that Morocco will give a 10-15 minute presentation on either the topic "efforts to deny terrorist safe haven" or "efforts to deter terrorist intentions to acquire and use nuclear devices" during the afternoon session of June 16. Farhane must consult with others before committing on the precise topic and will make every effort to inform the Embassy before April 30. Farhane asked who would represent the United States at the plenary meeting in the Netherlands. -------------- New Members to Join GICNT? -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Referring to President Obama's April 5 nuclear weapons speech delivered in Prague, Farhane asked if there were any potential new member countries asking to be a part of the GICNT. He suggested that new members may be considered during the June plenary session at The Hague and would like for GICNT co-chairs Russia and the United States to share news of potential newcomers with current members. Farhane opined that the Obama administration seems open to work with new partners and Morocco is eager to hear more. -------------- -------------- Morocco Requests U.S. Support for Rabat Conference -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Morocco is moving forward with its plans to host a GICNT Seminar in Rabat June 3-5, 2009 on the topic "preventing illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials". MFA Secretary General Youssef Amrani will open the event and Morocco would like to know who will represent the United States. Morocco would like for someone at the Undersecretary level to participate and would also like to have the U.S. commit to give a presentation of its choice at the Rabat meeting in June. Previous messages were sent requesting this information but Morocco has received no response. Farhane shared that just as the United States and Russia would like for Morocco to participate in the plenary session at The Hague to make it a success, Morocco would like the same participation and commitment to the Rabat meeting from GICNT Co-chairs Russia and the United States and plenary host the Netherlands. ¶6. (SBU) In addition to the June GICNT Seminar in Rabat, Morocco also plans to host an outreach meeting for West Africa, now scheduled for sometime in 2010. Farhane suggested that Morocco may plan to organize some GICNT exercises after 2010. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: Post would appreciate Department guidance on any possible presentation the USG can provide at the Rabat GICNT conference and any information on the lead and makeup of the U.S. delegation for passage to the Moroccan MFA. Post also seeks information on the lead and makeup of the U.S. delegation to the GICNT plenary session in the Netherlands as well as any details about possible new members joining the GICNT group. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco ***************************************** Jackson