Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RABAT38
2009-01-15 16:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
AS GAZA VIOLENCE CONTINUES, KING MOHAMMED VI
how-toVZCZCXRO7913 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV RUEHTRO DE RUEHRB #0038 0151624 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 151624Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9536 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 3560
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000038
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2019
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL AL MO
SUBJECT: AS GAZA VIOLENCE CONTINUES, KING MOHAMMED VI
EXPRESSES HIS FURY WITH FELLOW ARAB LEADERS
REF: STATE 003120
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000038
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2019
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL AL MO
SUBJECT: AS GAZA VIOLENCE CONTINUES, KING MOHAMMED VI
EXPRESSES HIS FURY WITH FELLOW ARAB LEADERS
REF: STATE 003120
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: During farewell calls on Prime Minister El
Fassi and Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri on January 14 and 15,
respectively, we discussed Gaza. The Ambassador went over
the five key points in reftel, and the Foreign Minister said
that the GOM agreed on all five. The Foreign Minister also
said the GOM would not be represented in Doha and that he
would lead the Moroccan delegation in Kuwait. Fassi Fihri
expanded on King Mohammed VI's extraordinary January 15
communique condemning some Arab leaders who were seeking
personal advantage from Palestinan suffering. End summary.
2. (C) On January 14, the Ambassador paid his farewell call
on Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi and made the five points in
reftel. At the end of a longer January 15 farewell call on
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taieb Fassi
Fihri, the Minister explained the king's extraordinary
communique on the proposed Doha and Kuwait meetings. He
stressed that the King is furious about Arab disunity, which
the Moroccan and Arab publics do not understand. He
indicated that Morocco would not send anyone to Doha but that
he would lead the delegation to Kuwait. Fassi Fihri asked
rhetorically, "How can we possibly bandage this wound?" He
stressed that Morocco is doing the maximum in terms of
solidarity with the Palestinian people, and in his only
criticism of the United States, he said the USG looked
ridiculous when it abstained on the UN Security Council
resolution that it had worked so hard to negotiate. He
acknowledged that implementation of the resolution will take
time, concluding that he hoped the new U.S. Administration
would address this "injustice."
--------------
The King Bares His Teeth
--------------
3. (U) King Mohammed VI, via a press release from his Royal
Cabinet, announced January 15 that he would not attend either
Arab Summit, but that the GOM would send a delegation to
Kuwait (only). Making no secret of royal anger, it declared
the Arab competition had reached new lows due to the dueling
summits and "squabbling and outbidding tactics." It bitterly
blasted personal disagreements and "attempts to secure
exclusive leadership of the Arab World or create ... zones of
influence," and quests for "media coverage," charging this
hurt the whole Islamic World (Ummah) and, most of all, the
Palestinians. This gave their enemies a chance to depict
"Arab uncertainty, immaturity and irresponsibility," except
for some "wise leaders."
4. (U) The statement called for solidarity and a considered
strategy on the Gaza issue. Morocco, has a commitment to the
Palestinians from Mohammed VI and his father Hassan II, it
said, noting the assistance provided both by the state and
private Moroccans. The King, as head of the Jerusalem
(al-Quds) Committee, and Morocco would continue to support a
"just, lasting and comprehensive" solution to the
Arab-Israeli conflict through the Arab Peace Initiative and
international resolutions, based on a "Palestinian State with
Jerusalem as its capital," living in "security and peace"
with Israel.
5. (C) Comment: The king's fury was enough to overcome a
longstanding tradition dating back to Hassan II of never
commenting on royal attendance at Summits. The toughness of
the language was unusual in any statement. The Ummah
reference may have been a dig at Iran, while "wise leaders"
no doubt refers to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. It appears the
Kings may be coordinating closely. (A full text of the
release was emailed to NEA/MAG and is also available on
www.map.ma, the official press agency website.) Septel will
report on other subjects in the farewell calls. End Comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2019
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL AL MO
SUBJECT: AS GAZA VIOLENCE CONTINUES, KING MOHAMMED VI
EXPRESSES HIS FURY WITH FELLOW ARAB LEADERS
REF: STATE 003120
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas T. Riley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: During farewell calls on Prime Minister El
Fassi and Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri on January 14 and 15,
respectively, we discussed Gaza. The Ambassador went over
the five key points in reftel, and the Foreign Minister said
that the GOM agreed on all five. The Foreign Minister also
said the GOM would not be represented in Doha and that he
would lead the Moroccan delegation in Kuwait. Fassi Fihri
expanded on King Mohammed VI's extraordinary January 15
communique condemning some Arab leaders who were seeking
personal advantage from Palestinan suffering. End summary.
2. (C) On January 14, the Ambassador paid his farewell call
on Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi and made the five points in
reftel. At the end of a longer January 15 farewell call on
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taieb Fassi
Fihri, the Minister explained the king's extraordinary
communique on the proposed Doha and Kuwait meetings. He
stressed that the King is furious about Arab disunity, which
the Moroccan and Arab publics do not understand. He
indicated that Morocco would not send anyone to Doha but that
he would lead the delegation to Kuwait. Fassi Fihri asked
rhetorically, "How can we possibly bandage this wound?" He
stressed that Morocco is doing the maximum in terms of
solidarity with the Palestinian people, and in his only
criticism of the United States, he said the USG looked
ridiculous when it abstained on the UN Security Council
resolution that it had worked so hard to negotiate. He
acknowledged that implementation of the resolution will take
time, concluding that he hoped the new U.S. Administration
would address this "injustice."
--------------
The King Bares His Teeth
--------------
3. (U) King Mohammed VI, via a press release from his Royal
Cabinet, announced January 15 that he would not attend either
Arab Summit, but that the GOM would send a delegation to
Kuwait (only). Making no secret of royal anger, it declared
the Arab competition had reached new lows due to the dueling
summits and "squabbling and outbidding tactics." It bitterly
blasted personal disagreements and "attempts to secure
exclusive leadership of the Arab World or create ... zones of
influence," and quests for "media coverage," charging this
hurt the whole Islamic World (Ummah) and, most of all, the
Palestinians. This gave their enemies a chance to depict
"Arab uncertainty, immaturity and irresponsibility," except
for some "wise leaders."
4. (U) The statement called for solidarity and a considered
strategy on the Gaza issue. Morocco, has a commitment to the
Palestinians from Mohammed VI and his father Hassan II, it
said, noting the assistance provided both by the state and
private Moroccans. The King, as head of the Jerusalem
(al-Quds) Committee, and Morocco would continue to support a
"just, lasting and comprehensive" solution to the
Arab-Israeli conflict through the Arab Peace Initiative and
international resolutions, based on a "Palestinian State with
Jerusalem as its capital," living in "security and peace"
with Israel.
5. (C) Comment: The king's fury was enough to overcome a
longstanding tradition dating back to Hassan II of never
commenting on royal attendance at Summits. The toughness of
the language was unusual in any statement. The Ummah
reference may have been a dig at Iran, while "wise leaders"
no doubt refers to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. It appears the
Kings may be coordinating closely. (A full text of the
release was emailed to NEA/MAG and is also available on
www.map.ma, the official press agency website.) Septel will
report on other subjects in the farewell calls. End Comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
*****************************************
Riley