US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1422

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001422 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MO, FR, AG, Algeria-Europe Relations 
SUBJECT: BELKHADEM REBUKES FRANCE ON RELATIONS WITH MOROCCO 
- NO NEED FOR INTERMEDIARIES 
 
REF: ALGIERS 1402 
 
Classified By: Charg D'Affaires Marc J. Sievers, 
reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
1.  (U)  During a visit to Casablanca on July 12, French 
Foreign Minister Phillipe Douste-Blazy gave an interview to 
the Moroccan daily Le Matin Du Sahara commenting on the need 
for resolution of the Western Sahara dispute.  Douste-Blazy 
stated that France, like Spain and its other partners, was 
convinced that a direct political dialogue between Algeria 
and Morocco on the Western Sahara question was needed to 
create an equitable settlement. 
 
2.  (U)  Algerian commentators were quick to note that 
Dauste-Blazy's comments appeared to be somewhat contrary to 
the standard French position to support U.N. Security Council 
Resolution 1598, which names only the GOM and the Polisario, 
not Algeria, as parties to the conflict. 
 
 
FRENCH CALL PROVOKES ALGERIAN REACTION 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (U)  Former Foreign Minister and current Minister of 
State Abdelaziz Belkhadem promptly retorted that Algeria does 
not need "intermediaries" to help it manage its relations 
with its neighbors.  "We do not need the Spanish or French 
Foreign Ministers to invite us to a dialogue."  Continuing, 
Belkhadem said, "Nothing prevents a direct dialogue with 
Morocco....We remain faithful to our position on the 
international legality in all questions of decolonialization, 
notably Western Sahara."  Belkhadem also said Algeria had no 
differences with Morocco except for the Western Sahara. 
 
COMMENT 
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4.  (C)  Belkhadem's quick reaction to the French Foreign 
Minister's statement sends a clear message: the GOA continues 
to reject French attempts at mediation with Morocco. 
SIEVERS