US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1027

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001027 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2015 
TAGS: PREL, WI, MO, AG, Polisario, Algeria-Morocco Relations 
SUBJECT: BOUTEFLIKA MESSAGE TO POLISARIO MENTIONS SUPPORT 
FOR SAHRAWI INDEPENDENCE 
 
REF: ALGIERS 1016 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) 
 
 1.  (U) In a written message to Polisario Secretary General 
Abdelaziz on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the 
formation of the Polisario Front and published in the 
Algerian press May 22, President Bouteflika has raised 
eyebrows and Moroccan ire by mentioning independence for the 
Sahrawi people.  In the letter, Bouteflika noted the 
importance of the upcoming Arab Maghreb Union summit to be 
held in Tripoli May 25-26, terming it as important as the 
summit that established the AMU in 1987, but also stressed 
that he would go to the summit "faithful to our principles," 
including support for the Sahrawi cause.  Going beyond his 
usual description of the Western Sahara as an issue of 
decolonization to be resolved in a UN framework, Bouteflika 
wrote,"Algeria supports this cause and all the others, in 
keeping with the UN Charter, with a view to helping the 
Sahrawi people, just like all people, to regain their freedom 
and their independence." 
 
2.  (U) The Algerian press May 23 reported Rabat's reaction 
to Bouteflika's message.  According to the Algerian 
French-language daily El Watan, the Moroccan MFA issued a 
statement declaring that Morocco "strongly deplores the 
official declarations and positions that Algeria believed 
necessary to express during the past few days regarding the 
Moroccan Sahara."  The Moroccan MFA statement reportedly went 
on to note that the two countries "had decided, in March on 
the occasion of the historic visit of His Majesty King 
Mohammed VI to Algiers, to engage resolutely and sincerely on 
the path of peace-making and normalization, while allowing 
our national question (i.e. the Western Sahara) to find a 
definitive solution within the framework of the United 
Nations." 
 
3.  (C) Ambassador contacted Moroccan Ambassador Benrayane, 
who said he was "astonished" and disappointed by Bouteflika's 
message.  Benrayane asserted that while Bouteflika normally 
sends a message to Abdelaziz on the occasion of the 
anniversary of the founding of the Polisario, this was the 
first time Bouteflika had mentioned Sahrawi independence. 
Benrayane was at a loss to explain Bouteflika's motivation, 
especially since the publication of his message came only a 
few days before the Tripoli summit. 
 
4.  (C) Comment:  We are also puzzled by Bouteflika's 
reference to Algerian support for Sahrawi independence, 
especially in the context not only of the AMU summit but also 
the decision reported reftel for Prime Minister Ouyahia to 
visit Rabat in June to relaunch the bilateral committees. 
Ambassador plans to discuss Bouteflika's message with 
Presidential Chief of Staff Belkheir, and note our 
expectation that Algeria remains committed to normalizing 
relations with Morocco. 
 
5.  (U) Tripoli minimize considered. 
ERDMAN