| MOROCCO: VIRGINIA GOVERNOR KAINE'S VISIT A SUCCESS | |
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2009 May 5, 18:22 (Tuesday)
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09RABAT386_a
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CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
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10311
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TEXT ONLINE
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ECON - Economic Affairs--Economic Conditions, Trends and Potential |ETRD - Economic Affairs--Foreign Trade | MO - Morocco | PGOV - Political Affairs--Government; Internal Governmental Affairs | PHUM - Political Affairs--Human Rights |PREL - Political Affairs--External Political Relations | PTER - Political Affairs--Terrorists and Terrorism
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TE - Telegram (cable)
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1. (C) Summary: Virginia Governor Tim Kaine had a highly
successful visit to Morocco on April 23, 24 and 25 that
helped energize overall bilateral relations as well as
achieve economic and trade development goals of his state.
Kaine, who is also Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, met with Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, Interior
Minister Chakib Benmoussa, Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi
Fihri, and Chairman of Morocco,s Human Right Commission
(CCDH) Ahmed Herzenni. The governor also met with Commerce
and New Technologies Ahmed Chami, who urged the
administration to work toward Israeli-Palestinian peace. The
main focus of the trip was promoting economic ties. Despite
Governor Kaine's protestations that he did not represent the
U.S. Government, the Moroccans gave him a royal welcome, in
an effort to convey a positive messages to the Obama
Administration, including on their top priority, recognition
of Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. End Summary.
--------------------------------
Purpose of the Visit: Virginia,s
Search for Economic Partners
--------------------------------
2. (C) On April 23, 24 and 25, in his first official visit
to Morocco, hosted by the Government of Morocco (GOM) by
invitation from King Mohammed VI, Virginia Governor Tim
Kaine, had a series of political and economic discussions
with the highest levels of the Moroccan Government, save the
King. Accompanied by Charge, PolCouns or D/PolCouns,
Virginia Director of Communication for Economic Affairs Rick
Richardson, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick
Gottschalk, and Virginia Port Authority representative Russ
Held, Governor Kaine told his interlocutors that his primary
goal in coming to Morocco was to deepen economic ties between
Virginia and Morocco and to celebrate long-standing positive
ties between the U.S. and Morocco.
3. (C) In addition to engaging Governor Kaine on a full
spectrum of possible cooperative economic projects, there
were clear political overtones to his meetings. No doubt
owing to his status as National Democratic Party Chairman,
Moroccan officials accorded Governor Kaine high protocol.
Apart from exploring "win-win" economic opportunities (See
septel), Moroccan officials used the opportunity to showcase
Morocco as a progressive, moderate and dynamic country and to
convey messages to the Obama Administration.
--------------------------------------------- --------
Prime Minister: "Morocco is Becoming More Democratic"
--------------------------------------------- --------
4. (C) In the opening meeting on April 23, Prime Minister
Abbas El Fassi underscored the progress on political reforms
Morocco had made by contrasting disputed election results in
most elections since 1963, against the last legislative
elections held September 2007, which he called
internationally recognized as transparent and fair.
--------------------------------------------- -----
Interior: "Morocco is Secure But Faces Challenges"
--------------------------------------------- -----
5. (C) Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa set the electoral
scene and provided Governor Kaine with the security backdrop
of Morocco. Benmoussa underscored the importance of the
upcoming local government elections in June. In addition to
highlighting recent reforms, to include reserving at least 12
percent of seats for women (up from 0.5 percent), Benmoussa
said that his Ministry was working to improve democracy at
the local level and improve its ability to provide services,
including security, to citizens.
6. (C) At the regional level, Benmoussa said Morocco was
determined to combat social ills such as human and drug
trafficking and terrorism. He highlighted the threats the
country faced, especially from the Sahel. Benmoussa said
given the area's lawlessness, nomadic populations, and
remoteness, only international cooperation coupled with
intelligence sharing and knowledge of local tribes could
overcome these problems.
7. (C) Benmoussa asserted that in the religious and societal
sphere, King Mohammed VI was dedicated to maintaining a
modern and moderate form of Islam in Morocco. "He is
determined to preserve democracy, human rights, and certain
forms of the Moroccan identity," Benmoussa explained. "At
RABAT 00000386 002.2 OF 003
the same time, as Commander of the Faithful, the King
oversees all faiths in Morocco: Muslim, Jewish, and
Christian. There are many contradictions in this country
that need to be managed; we must strike a balance to move
forward, while maintaining stability," he said.
8. (C) Speaking on Morocco's autonomy plan for Western
Sahara, Benmoussa said that the plan called for reforms while
preserving national unity. He speculated that other
countries in the region may see the plan, a unique model for
regional autonomy, as a threat.
-------------------------------------------
Foreign Minister: "Frustrated with Algeria"
-------------------------------------------
9. (C) Moroccan Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri praised the
long standing bilateral ties between the U.S. and Morocco.
Under Hassan II, the two countries established strong ties in
the military and intelligence spheres and now King Mohammed
VI hoped to expand this into the economic realm. The U.S.
was a key partner, and Virginia a model of economic
cooperation with Morocco for other U.S. states. In light of
the success of the Free trade Agreement (FTA) with the U.S.,
Fassi Fihri proposed that the FTA be used as a means of
encouraging joint production within the Arab Maghreb Union in
the hopes of increasing trade and improving relations with
Algeria (septel).
10. (C) Fassi Fihri described Moroccan relations with
Algeria as difficult, complicated by the Western Sahara issue
and Algeria's "Castro-like mind set." Fassi Fihri expressed
frustration at the lack of "new blood" in Algeria,s
leadership ranks, saying that the lack of change in
leadership was contributing the perpetuation of the status
quo, adding that Western Sahara complicated cooperation in
other spheres like countering terrorism, drugs and human
smuggling. On the Middle East, Fihri said that the time had
come for Israel to be allowed to live in peace with its Arab
neighbors, including a Palestine state.
--------------------------------------------- -----
Human Rights Commission: "Painful Chapter Closing"
--------------------------------------------- -----
11. (C) Chairman of Morocco's Advisory Council for Human
Rights (CCDH) Ahmed Herzenni said the CCDH, created in 1990,
has served under King Mohammed VI to liberate political
prisoners, compensate victims, and provide accountability to
families of victims of the "disappearances" during the "years
of lead" of King Hassan II. The Commission has compensated
financially or supplied free medical care to over 23,000
families affected by repression during the "years of lead."
12. (C) Twenty percent of the 23,000 were cases in the
Western Sahara, statistically the worst affected region of
government repression. CCDH's office in Laayoune is
implementing an action plan for civil rights and democratic
development. Herzenni, a former political prisoner himself,
said that while individual cases will probably always exist,
there is no longer a systemic problem of human rights abuse
at the hands of the Moroccan Government. Herzenni added,
however, that judicial reform is needed but an action plan is
in the work.
13. (C) Governor Kaine applauded the reform work of CCDH,
alluding to his own work as a civil rights lawyer working
against discrimination in minority housing. Governor Kaine
encouraged Herzenni to reach out to the Institute of Judicial
Independence founded by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra
Day O'Connor.
----------------------------------
Message to President Obama: "Make
the U.S. An Honest Broker Again"
----------------------------------
14. (C) On April 23, during a discussion of cooperative
economic opportunities (septel), Minister of Industry,
Commerce and New Technologies Ahmed Chami, aware of the
governor's second role as Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, urged Governor Kaine to convey a message to
President Obama. "Morocco and the rest of the world were
waiting with hope for the United States to take up its
indispensable role in the peace negotiations between the
Israeli and Palestinian peoples. We believe that under
President Obama, the U.S. has the opportunity to return the
U.S. to its place as honest broker, after many years of
RABAT 00000386 003.2 OF 003
obscurity. This conflict has gone on too long; if it can be
resolved, terrorism groups that plague the region will also
lose a huge source of anger that sustains their ranks," he
predicted.
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Comment
-------
15. (C) The Moroccans seized on Governor Kaine's visit to
Morocco as a chance to promote ties with both Virginia and
the rest of the U.S. In addition to economic relations, they
looked to open a channel to the new administration, while
also sensitizing to Moroccan perspectives (especially on
Western Sahara), someone they consider to be a prospective
political "heavy weight." Governor Kaine and his party heard
the same refrains we have been hearing over the last several
months: Morocco is more concerned about terrorism in the
Sahel; narcotics trafficking through West Africa and Morocco
is becoming a threat to regional stability; Middle East peace
must be a priority; and the FTA and the Millennium Challenge
Account Compact provide the basis for greater economic
cooperation. End Comment.
*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco
*****************************************
Jackson
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