US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1211

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 001211 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, AG, MO, WI, Algeria-Europe Relations 
SUBJECT: SPANISH AMBASSADOR ON WESTERN SAHARA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
1.  (C) Spanish Ambassador Lena called on Ambassador June 13 
to offer GOS views on the need to calm tensions in the region 
and brief on Spanish State Minister for External Relations 
Leon's June trip to the region.  Lena also shared a copy of 
Spanish FM Moratinos' letter to Algerian FM Bedjaoui. 
Moratinos called for revitalization of the Western Sahara 
process; positive steps and confidence-building measures 
toward reconciliation; a MINURSO report on recent events; the 
right to political expression; adopting humanitarian 
gestures; the naming of new Personal and Special U.N. Envoys; 
and enhanced regional integration through the Arab Maghreb 
Union.  Ambassador said we were also concerned about recent 
negative developments in the region and had demarched both 
Algiers and Rabat to underscore our concerns and encourage 
Algeria and Morocco to focus on bilateral rapprochement and 
strengthened regional cooperation.  Ambassador also explained 
U.S. views on a new Personal Envoy, noting it would be 
premature to consider such a step absent clear indications 
the parties were prepared to be more flexible regarding the 
Envoy's mandate.  (End Summary.) 
 
SPAIN URGING REDUCED TENSIONS 
----------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Spanish Ambassador to Algeria Juan Lena called on 
Ambassador June 13 to provide the GOS perspective on the 
Western Sahara and report on the recent trip to the region of 
Spanish State Minister for External Relations Bernardino 
Leon.  PolEcon Chief and Econoff attended the meeting.  Lena 
also provided Ambassador with a Spanish-language copy of the 
letter from Spanish FM Moratinos to Algerian FM Bedjaoui. 
(See paragraph 5:  copy faxed to NEA/MAG.) 
 
3.  (C) Noting that the Western Sahara was an especially 
important political issue in Spain, Lena said State Secretary 
Leon had undertaken his mission with the intent of calming 
tensions in the region.  Leon made clear that maintaining the 
status quo was unacceptable and that violence had to stop. 
Spain called on all parties to calm tensions and had 
specifically cautioned the Polisario that threats of renewed 
violence were unhelpful.  Noting Madrid's belief that Algeria 
had not played a role in fomenting recent Sahrawi unrest, 
Lena said Leon had urged Rabat to restrain Moroccan police 
and security personnel who confronted the Sahrawis. 
Commenting on recent press reports that a Spanish delegation 
to the Western Sahara had been denied permission to enter 
through Morocco, Lena clarified that a group of Catalan 
legislators had been refused but that Morocco has given a 
national parliamentary delegation permission to visit without 
any restrictions on its contacts.  This was a positive 
signal, he commented. 
 
4.  (C) The GOS hoped MINURSO would make a report on recent 
events in the Western Sahara, including the violence in May. 
Spain believed UNSYG Special Envoy De Soto should be replaced 
as soon as possible and that the Friends Group at the U.N. in 
New York should be activated.  Morocco, based on Leon's 
discussions in Rabat, sought a political settlement at the 
U.N. before autonomy could be considered for the Sahrawis. 
Spain, continued Lena, did not believe the Western Sahara 
should prevent Morocco and Algeria from pursuing 
reconciliation.  As for Leon's meetings with Algerian FM 
Bedjaoui, the Algerian Minister, said Lena, was firm on the 
need for Sahrawi self-determination and expressed 
disappointment that Morocco had not accepted the Baker Plan 
as the best possible resolution of the dispute. 
 
MORATINOS' LETTER URGES RAPPROCHEMENT, 
TRANSPARENCY, AND NEW PERSONAL ENVOY 
-------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Lena said Leon's conversation clearly paralleled the 
points in Maratinos' June 9 letter.  Specifically, Moratinos: 
 
 
--  Called for revitalization of the Western Sahara process. 
 
 
--  Urged constructive actions on the part of the parties, 
who should avoid unilateral steps and take 
confidence-building measures toward reconciliation. 
 
--  Called on MINURSO to prepare a report on recent events. 
 
--  Said that rights of political expression in the Western 
Sahara should be guaranteed. 
 
 
--  Encouraged humanitarian gestures. 
 
 
--  Urged the naming of two new U.N. Envoys, Personal (vice 
Baker) and Special (vice De Soto). 
 
 
--  Expressed support for regional integration and 
strengthened ties through the Arab Maghreb Union. 
 
 
6.  (C) Ambassador responded by noting that we shared many of 
Spain's concerns and that he and his counterpart in Rabat had 
been instructed to convey these concerns about recent 
negative developments to both Algiers and Rabat.  The thrust 
of our message, Ambassador explained, was the need for both 
capitals to act with restraint, pursue bilateral 
rapprochement, and improve regional cooperation via the Arab 
Maghreb Union.  We had also made known to the GOA and the 
Polisario that Polisario threats and renewed armed struggle 
were unacceptable and counterproductive.  In this regard, the 
decisions to proceed with the planned June 22 heads of 
government meetings in Rabat, other gestures the two sides 
were making, and the recent softening of Polisario rhetoric 
on armed struggle were positive signs.  Reported agreement to 
increase airline flights between Morocco and Algeria and 
efforts to reschedule the Maghreb Summit were also positive 
developments. 
 
7.  (C) On Spain's desire for the naming of a new Personal 
Envoy, Ambassador reviewed U.S. thinking as to why such a 
move would be premature and unhelpful.  Absent signs of 
flexibility from Algeria and Morocco, the naming of a 
Personal Envoy would lead to an immediate impasse over the 
Envoy's mandate, thus setting back rapprochement efforts. 
 
ERDMAN