(C) KUDOS FOR ALGERIA REPORTING (C-ME9-01697)

S E C R E T STATE 092997 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2034 TAGS: PINR PINS PTER SOCI AG SUBJECT: (C) KUDOS FOR ALGERIA REPORTING (C-ME9-01697) REF: A. ALGIERS 447 ¶B. ALGIERS 463 ¶C. ALGIERS 492 ¶D. ALGIERS 496 ¶E. ALGIERS 984 Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE THE HIGH QUALITY REPORTING RECEIVED FROM EMBASSY, ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST YEAR. IN PARTICULAR, WE WOULD LIKE TO CITE YOUR COVERAGE OF ISSUES/EVENTS OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL, WHICH WE REALIZE CAN MEAN WORKING IN DIFFICULT SECURITY ENVIRONMENTS AND OCCASIONAL RISKS TO EMBASSY STAFF. ¶2. (S/N) EMBASSY STAFF OBTAINED IMPORTANT INSIGHTS BY REACHING OUT TO A WIDE RANGE OF CONTACTS, INCLUDING FOREIGN OFFICIALS, CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS, AND EMBASSY FOREIGN SERVICE NATIONALS. SPECIFICALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ALGIERS 447, 463, 492, AND 49, FOR THE VALUABLE INSIGHTS THEY PROVIDED ON ISSUES LIKE RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, TRIBAL RELATIONS, EMIGRATION, AND ARMS SMUGGLING. IN ADDITION, ALGIERS 984 PROVIDED EXTENSIVE POLITICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND ON THE KABYLE BERBERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND ALGERIAN TERRORISTS, A REPORT THAT HAS PROVED TO BE INVALUABLE FOR DRAFTING A LONGER PAPER ON KABYLE CULTURE. CLINTON