Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RABAT817
2009-10-02 16:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
UNSCR 1540 AFRICA WORKSHOP: MOROCCO INTERESTED,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0817 2751624 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 021624Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0705 INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0134 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4728 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1169 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0969 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA
UNCLAS RABAT 000817
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ISN FOR T WUCHTE, NEA/MAG FOR K JONES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ETTC PTER TBIO MO
SUBJECT: UNSCR 1540 AFRICA WORKSHOP: MOROCCO INTERESTED,
BUT NOT IF POLISARIO PRESENT
REF: STATE 96413
UNCLAS RABAT 000817
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ISN FOR T WUCHTE, NEA/MAG FOR K JONES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ETTC PTER TBIO MO
SUBJECT: UNSCR 1540 AFRICA WORKSHOP: MOROCCO INTERESTED,
BUT NOT IF POLISARIO PRESENT
REF: STATE 96413
1. (U) This message contains an ACTION REQUEST. Please see
para 4.
2. (SBU) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Counselor in the
International Organization Division Nabigha Hajji told
EconOff on October 1 that Morocco appreciates the invitation
to reftel biosafety/biosecurity workshop in Kenya in February
2010 to carry out activities under UN Security Council
Resolution 1540. He requested further information about the
content of the workshop in order to determine which Moroccan
agencies would most benefit from participation. Hajji
undertook to seek ideas for the workshop content from
interested Moroccan agencies and convey any input to us at a
later date.
3. (SBU) Hajji stressed that while Morocco would like to
accept the invitation, as a matter of policy it will not
attend the workshop unless participants are restricted to
those representing "member states of the United Nations," a
reference to concerns about attendance by representatives of
the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
While EconOff assured Hajji that the SADR was not among the
list of countries invited by the USG, his concerns were
triggered by reftel non-paper, which makes reference to
including "African Union members." The SADR is a member of
the African Union (AU),while Morocco is not an AU member in
protest of that organization's acceptance of the secessionist
POLISARIO movement's self-proclaimed government.
4. (SBU) Post requests that Department confirm that no
representatives from the SADR (which we do not recognize as a
state or government) will be included at this workshop in
order to assure Moroccan participation. In light of Moroccan
sensitivities, and the fact that Morocco is not an African
Union member, Post suggests that conference materials refrain
from referring collectively to countries targeted for
participation in the workshop as the African Union.
5. (U) Embassy Rabat Point of Contact for coordinating
participation in this workshop is Economic Officer Jai L.
Nair (Tel: 212-537-76-22-65 ext. 2136; SBU E-mail:
NairJL@state.gov).
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco
*****************************************
Millard
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
ISN FOR T WUCHTE, NEA/MAG FOR K JONES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ETTC PTER TBIO MO
SUBJECT: UNSCR 1540 AFRICA WORKSHOP: MOROCCO INTERESTED,
BUT NOT IF POLISARIO PRESENT
REF: STATE 96413
1. (U) This message contains an ACTION REQUEST. Please see
para 4.
2. (SBU) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Counselor in the
International Organization Division Nabigha Hajji told
EconOff on October 1 that Morocco appreciates the invitation
to reftel biosafety/biosecurity workshop in Kenya in February
2010 to carry out activities under UN Security Council
Resolution 1540. He requested further information about the
content of the workshop in order to determine which Moroccan
agencies would most benefit from participation. Hajji
undertook to seek ideas for the workshop content from
interested Moroccan agencies and convey any input to us at a
later date.
3. (SBU) Hajji stressed that while Morocco would like to
accept the invitation, as a matter of policy it will not
attend the workshop unless participants are restricted to
those representing "member states of the United Nations," a
reference to concerns about attendance by representatives of
the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
While EconOff assured Hajji that the SADR was not among the
list of countries invited by the USG, his concerns were
triggered by reftel non-paper, which makes reference to
including "African Union members." The SADR is a member of
the African Union (AU),while Morocco is not an AU member in
protest of that organization's acceptance of the secessionist
POLISARIO movement's self-proclaimed government.
4. (SBU) Post requests that Department confirm that no
representatives from the SADR (which we do not recognize as a
state or government) will be included at this workshop in
order to assure Moroccan participation. In light of Moroccan
sensitivities, and the fact that Morocco is not an African
Union member, Post suggests that conference materials refrain
from referring collectively to countries targeted for
participation in the workshop as the African Union.
5. (U) Embassy Rabat Point of Contact for coordinating
participation in this workshop is Economic Officer Jai L.
Nair (Tel: 212-537-76-22-65 ext. 2136; SBU E-mail:
NairJL@state.gov).
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco
*****************************************
Millard