(U) SA'ID BOUTEFLIKA

S E C R E T STATE 125735 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV AG FR MO TS SUBJECT: (U) SA'ID BOUTEFLIKA Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) SA'ID BOUTEFLIKA IS OFTEN MENTIONED IN THE ALGERIAN AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS AS A SUCCESSOR TO HIS OLDER BROTHER, PRESIDENT ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA. IN RECENT MONTHS, THE ALGERIAN PRESS HAS FLAGGED HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE FORMATION OF A NEW POLITICAL PARTY OR MOVEMENT (SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE RALLY FOR NATIONAL CONCORD OR MOVEMENT FOR FREE GENERATIONS) AS EVIDENCE OF HIS PLANS TO SUCCEED HIS BROTHER IN OFFICE. IN GENERAL, THE LIKELY ALGERIAN SUCCESSION PROCESS IS OPAQUE, AND PRESIDENT BOUTEFLIKA HAS NOT ESTABLISHED HIS OWN PREFERRED CANDIDATE. SA'ID DOES NOT APPEAR EXTENSIVELY IN PUBLIC ROLES, AND WASHINGTON ANALYSTS LACK REPORTING ON HIS ASSOCIATES AND ACTIVITIES. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON SA'ID, AS POST'S TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, PARTICULARLY IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS BELOW. ¶A. (S/NF) DOES SA'ID BOUTEFLIKA HAVE AN INDEPENDENT POWER BASE OR INDEPENDENT POLITICAL VIEWS SEPARATE FROM THOSE OF HIS BROTHER? DOES HE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DOMESTIC OR FOREIGN POLICY RESPONSIBILITIES? ¶B. (S/NF) WHO ARE SA'ID'S POLITICAL ALLIES AND POLITICAL ENEMIES? WHO ARE HIS CONTACTS IN THE MILITARY? ARE ANY PARTICULAR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY BEHOLDEN TO HIM? ¶C. (S/NF) WHAT ARE SA'ID'S VIEWS ON THE INSURGENCY? ON ECONOMICS? ¶D. (S/NF) WHAT ARE SA'ID'S VIEWS ON THE UNITED STATES AND ON US-ALGERIA RELATIONS? HAS HE EVER TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES? ¶E. (S/NF) WHAT IS SA'ID'S REPUTATION AMONG OTHER ALGERIAN LEADERS? HAS HE BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY SPECIFIC ACTS OF POLITICAL OR FINANCIAL CORRUPTION? ¶F. (S/NF) WHAT IS SA'ID'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DOMINANT POLITICAL PARTY, THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT? IS HE CONSIDERING JOINING OR FORMING A NEW PARTY? ¶G. (S/NF) WE WOULD ALSO BE VERY INTERESTED IN ANY AVAILABLE PERSONAL DATA, INCLUDING SA'ID'S EDUCATION, MARITAL STATUS, TEMPERAMENT, PERSONAL HABITS, LANGUAGE FLUENCY, AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS. CLINTON