MOROCCO AS NON-PROLIFERATION LEADER

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000720 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR, T, ISN, PM, VCI, NEA/RA AND NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2029 TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV MNUC ENRG AORC KNNP MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO AS NON-PROLIFERATION LEADER REF: A. STATE 083600 ¶B. RABAT 0699 Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: This message provides substantive answers to the detailed questions posed in Ref A regarding Morocco's policies on non-proliferation issues and regimes. Information requested in Ref A regarding key points of contact in the Moroccan government was provided in Ref B, with updates below. ¶2. (C) The Government of Morocco (GOM) sees itself as a leading advocate of non-proliferation within the international community. Morocco has worked actively with countries like the United States, Russia, and France to advance multiple non-proliferation regimes. It actively supports strengthening the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). Morocco is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),in which it has played a positive and moderating role on non-proliferation issues. End Summary. ¶3. (C) Virtually all decision making on non-proliferation issues is generated in the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MFA). To the list contained in Ref B of key Moroccan officials within the MFA that shape policy on the NPT and other non-proliferation issues should be added Azzedine Farhane, the MFA's Director of International Organizations. He serves as the immediate supervisor of Redoune Houssaini, the Chief of the MFA,s United Nations Division. Farhane reports directly to Ambassador Nasser Bourita, MFA Chief of Staff and Director General for Multilateral Relations and Global Cooperation. However, Houssaini often confers directly with Chief of Staff Bourita. ¶4. (C) When Acting PolCouns and D/PolCouns met on August 13, 2009 with Houssaini and MFA Head of Security and Disarmament Bouchiab Omni to discuss Morocco's posture toward the upcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review in May 2010, the Moroccans provided an overview of Morocco's non-proliferation policy. Houssaini described Morocco's policy as founded on the principles of peace and international security, of which nuclear security is a critical element. He said that Morocco abides by the NPT and considers itself to be a leading global advocate for multiple non-proliferation regimes within the context of international cooperation and negotiated disarmament. In his discussion of the spirit of Morocco's commitment to global peace and security, Houssaini cited King Mohammed VI's July 30, 2009 Throne Day Speech, which stressed, among other things, the importance of effective involvement in multilateral issues and in resolving global problems. Houssaini noted as well that Morocco's Embassy in Washington had received assurances from U.S. diplomats that Morocco would receive an invitation to President Obama's proposed conference on nuclear security, for which Houssaini expressed thanks. ¶5. (C) Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: With regard to the NPT, Omni considered it critical that the upcoming NPT Review succeed in the wake of the last NPT Review's failure in 2005. He said that the latest NPT Preparatory Committee meeting (Prepcom) was encouraging and that all relevant parties were near consensus on the language of the final Prepcom document. In providing some constructive criticism of the regime, Omni said there should be a mechanism for greater effort and real work between NPT Prepcom meetings to discuss and "hammer out points of contention" between various parties, instead of just listening to countries' positions on the regime at each successive conference. Without mentioning any of the deadlocked countries' by name, he said that one of the most significant areas of contention had to do with the NPT's provisions for disarmament. While Morocco supports NPT disarmament provisions, carried out through the Conference on Disarmament (CD),Omni said that disagreements in this area among various countries should not scuttle the entire review. ¶6. (C) Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Omni said that Morocco was actively pushing for the adoption of the CTBT, a regime he described as "almost in force" as he wondered, aloud and rhetorically, why it had not taken effect. Omni stated that, working with France as co-chair to the upcoming CTBT Article 14 Conference (to be held on September 24, 2009 in New York),Morocco has tried to promote practical measures to bring the CTBT into force and to also devise new approaches to encourage new adherents to the regime. Perhaps, he suggested, the focus of the new U.S. administration will help in this regard. He added that success with the NPT Review could provide important momentum to the successful ratification of the CTBT. ¶7. (C) Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty: Regarding the FMCT, Omni said that Morocco supports the treaty's goal of banning production of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium and reducing existing stockpiles of the same. However, he said Morocco foresees difficulties with other unspecified countries in achieving the goal of reducing existing stockpiles of fissile materials. He added that, as with all non-proliferation regimes, Morocco favored a pragmatic approach that consolidates gains, such as securing agreement on the ban of new production, even if other goals, such as the reduction of fissile stockpiles, cannot be achieved at this time. Morocco remains open to innovative solutions to overcome the impasse over stockpile reduction. ¶8. (C) Global Initiative for Combating Nuclear Terrorism: Morocco has played a leading role in supporting the U.S.-initiated Global Initiative for Combating Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT). Working with the GICNT co-chairs the United States and Russia, Morocco hosted the initial GICNT conference in October 2006 and a subsequent conference in February 2008. Morocco is currently in the process of sponsoring a UN Resolution designed to promote the GICNT regime at this Fall's UNGA -- an initiative supported by the U.S. and Russia. Morocco has no known nuclear arms and has only one experimental U.S.-built nuclear reactor. Morocco also works with the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),in which it has played a moderating and positive role on non-proliferation issues. ¶9. (C) Comment: The Mission agrees with Morocco's self-assessment that it has successfully carved out a position for itself within the international community as a leading advocate of non-proliferation, which, probably by design, allows it to work closer with major powers such as the United States, Russia, and France. Moroccan interlocutors did not speculate on future Russian or French engagement on these issues, but they did express cautious optimism that under the Obama Administration non-proliferation efforts would advance and the CD would see new phases of progress. As a result, Morocco's status as a leading advocate could be bolstered; alternatively, lack of engagement by major powers could render that status insignificant. End Comment. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco ***************************************** Jackson