MOROCCO REQUESTS FURTHER CONSULTATIONS ON ITSO DIRECTOR GENERAL

UNCLAS RABAT 000420 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/MAG - S WILLIAMS, EEB/CIP/TS - S LETT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS PREL KTIA MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO REQUESTS FURTHER CONSULTATIONS ON ITSO DIRECTOR GENERAL REF: STATE 52173 ¶1. (U) This message contains an ACTION REQUEST. Please see para 4. ¶2. (SBU) EconCouns and Econoff made reftel points regarding the potential International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO) Extraordinary Assembly to Department of Post, Telecommunications and New Technologies Secretary General Taieb Debbagh on May 21. Econoffs highlighted the urgency of avoiding international arbitration and emphasized that no ITSO Parties had complained about USG management of its responsibilities under the ITSO Treaty. After taking note of USG concerns, Debbagh informed us that he would in fact be meeting with ITSO Director General Ahmed Toumi two hours after our discussion. "I'll get Toumi's point of view" this afternoon, Debbagh promised, and requested that the USG provide a paper summarizing our perspective to use in further discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MFAC) to determine Morocco's position on the matter as an ITSO Party. ¶3. (SBU) Debbagh proposed meeting again with EconCouns in the near future following receipt of a paper from the U.S., in order to discuss more completely Morocco's position and any possibility that the GOM could address the dispute directly with Toumi. Assuming that the Extraordinary Assembly of Parties will be held as currently planned, Debbagh noted, he will represent Morocco at the meeting. Post will re-engage with Debbagh next week to follow up on the issue, and will also demarche the MFAC's office dealing with international technical organizations when the responsible officer returns from travel next week. ¶4. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests that the Department provide a non-paper appropriate to leave with the GOM summarizing the USG concerns about holding an Extraordinary Assembly and the possibility of arbitration, including appropriate relevant background to the dispute between Toumi and the Governments of the U.S. and the U.K. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco ***************************************** Jackson