US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1016

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 001016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KNNP, ABLD, AG, IR, IS, US-Algerian Relation, Cabinet Reshuffle, Status Of Force Agreement (SOFA) 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FOREIGN MINISTER 
BEDJAOUI 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
1.  (C) Ambassador conducted his first official call May 21 
on Foreign Minister Mohammed Bedjaoui, who was appointed May 
1 in place of former Fonmin Belkhadem (septel reports their 
discussion of an exercise-specific SOFA).  The conversation 
covered U.S.-Algerian relations and a possible Bedjaoui visit 
to Washington; the June 21-22 international conference on 
Iraq; Prime Minister Ouyahia's acceptance of an invitation to 
visit Rabat on the same dates as the Iraq conference; and 
Iran's and Israel's nuclear programs.  Throughout the 
conversation, Bedjaoui presented himself as a friend of the 
United States.  We expect that he will be much easier to work 
with than his predecessor.  End summary. 
 
POSSIBLE VISIT TO WASHINGTON 
---------------------------- 
 
2.  (U) Ambassador, accompanied by DCM, paid an introductory 
call on newly appointed Foreign Minister Mohammed Bedjaoui 
May 21.  Acting Americas Director General Benmokhtar and 
member of the Minister's office Benguerrah also attended the 
meeting.  Ambassador warmly congratulated Bedjaoui on his new 
appointment and, after reading it aloud in French 
translation, delivered Secretary Rice's letter of 
congratulations to Bedjaoui.  Speaking personally, Ambassador 
urged the Foreign Minister to make plans to visit Washington 
before long, without waiting for an invitation.  It was 
important to renew channels of communication with senior U.S. 
officials, and there was great competition these days. 
Bedjaoui expressed appreciation for the Secretary's letter, 
commenting that U.S.-Algerian relations were "excellent."  He 
said he was still studying the files and becoming familiar 
with the Ministry, but he noted that he had not had much 
contact with U.S. officials since he had been Algeria's UN 
Ambassador from 1979-82.  Bedjaoui said he would be very 
pleased to consider a visit after he had settled into his new 
position. 
 
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ JUNE 21-22 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Ambassador mentioned the international conference on 
Iraq that the U.S. and EU will co-host in Brussels June 
21-22.  Bedjaoui reacted positively, saying it was a good 
sign that the U.S. and EU finally were working together on 
stabilizing Iraq.  He noted that he had gone to the airport 
to meet Iraqi President Talabani when the latter's plane had 
made a refueling stop en route to the Arab-Latin American 
summit in Brazil.  Talabani, whom Bedjaoui described as 
"impressive," had been even more preoccupied with Iraq's 
economic situation than he was with terrorism.  Without 
confirming the level of its participation, Bedjaoui said 
Algeria would definitely participate in the conference "at an 
appropriately senior level." 
 
PM OUYAHIA VISIT TO RABAT JUNE 21-22 
------------------------------------ 
 
4.  (C) In discussing the June 21-22 dates of the Brussels 
conference, Bedjaoui volunteered that Prime Minister Ouyahia 
would travel to Rabat to meet with Moroccan Prime Minister 
Jettou and to resume the work of the joint commissions.  He 
indicated he may accompany Ouyahia.  (Comment:  Over the 
weekend, Moroccan Ambassador Benrayane told Ambassador they 
had extended an invitation to the prime minister to visit 
June 21-22.  At a May 21 reception hosted by the Foreign 
Minister, Ambassador passed on to Benrayane Bedjaoui's 
comment about Ouyahia going to Morocco June 21-22.  Benrayane 
said that was the first they had heard their invitation had 
been accepted.) 
 
IRANIAN AND ISRAELI NUCLEAR PROGRAMS 
------------------------------------ 
 
5.  (C) Bedjaoui then asked for Ambassador's sense of the 
Iranian nuclear issue.  Ambassador said he had the impression 
we were going "into the souk" with the Iranians, i.e. we had 
signalled a willingness to support the EU-3's negotiating 
effort and the Iranians were seeking a higher price by 
threatening to resume enrichment activity.  Ambassador 
commented that while we do not have a problem with the 
development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Iran had 
tried for years to hide a secret program.  This raised 
obvious problems of Iran's credibility.  Acquisition of a 
nuclear arms capability by Iran, Ambassador noted, would be 
very destabilizing for the region. 
 
6.  (C) Bedjaoui observed that the Iranian program went back 
to the 1960s, when the Shah had tried to purchase a reactor 
from France.  Noting Ambassador's comment about Iran's lack 
of credibility, Bedjaoui asked the U.S. view of Israel's 
nuclear capability, which he termed "enormous."  Ambassador 
responded that our position was that there should be 
universal adherence to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. 
Bedjaoui said it made no sense for Israel to have nuclear 
weapons since it could not use them against its neighbors 
without having the effects blow back on it.  Ambassador said 
there was a matter of deterrence as well, but agreed the use 
of nuclear weapons by any country in the region would be 
catastrophic.  Bedjaoui responded that the entire Middle East 
should be denuclearized. 
U.S.-ALGERIAN RELATIONS/NEW EMBASSY COMPOUND 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
7.  (C) Turning to U.S.-Algerian bilateral relations, 
Bedjaoui said he was "delighted" to see how closely our 
countries were working together, not just in the war on 
terrorism, but also economically and in other domains.  He 
noted that the U.S. last year replaced France as Algeria's 
largest trading partner.  Bedjaoui told Ambassador not to 
hesitate to let him know if there was anything he could do to 
improve the relationship.  Ambassador expressed appreciation 
for the minister's comment, and underscored the importance of 
GOA support for our $70 million project to build a new 
embassy compound.  Our decision to build a new chancery 
reflected our confidence in Algeria and the growing 
importance of our relations.  It would be important, 
Ambassador continued, to ensure that other ongoing issues, 
such as the current chancery lease discussions, be kept 
separate so as not to interfere with this important 
investment in our bilateral relationship.  Bedjaoui assured 
Ambassador that the GOA was very pleased with the project and 
said he would help ensure it moved forward without delay. 
 
JOINT MILITARY DIALOGUE 
----------------------- 
 
8.  (C) Bedjaoui also noted the "excellent visit" of MOD 
Secretary General Senhadji, who had just returned from 
 
SIPDIS 
Washington where he headed the Algerian delegation to the 
inaugural Joint Military Dialogue.  Ambassador said he had 
participated in the opening session of the JMD and thought 
Senhadji had made an excellent impression on Secretary 
Rumsfeld as well as on all the U.S. officials he saw, 
including members of Congress.  Bedjaoui responded that 
Senhadji had been impressed that Secretary Rumsfeld had taken 
the time to meet him, despite the many crises with which 
Rumsfeld had to deal.  Ambassador observed that the military 
ceremony at Arlington Cemetery had been particularly 
touching.  Bedjaoui said while serving as Ambassador to 
France in the early 1970s, he had met many American veterans 
of the North Africa campaign, including members of Congress. 
He regretted that nothing had come of plans to hold a reunion 
in North Africa.  Now it was probably too late due to the 
advanced age of most of the campaign's veterans. 
 
9.  (C) Comment:  At this initial meeting, Bedjaoui went out 
of his way to present himself as a friend of the United 
States.  Although he served as Minister of Justice in the 
first Algerian government in 1964, Bedjaoui's worldview is 
refreshingly current, distinctly unlike that of many members 
of the FLN old guard. 
ERDMAN