US embassy cable - 05RABAT1809

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001809 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/OFI 
PARIS FOR ZEYA AND DEA HABIB 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
ROME FOR ROSE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, SNAR, MO 
SUBJECT: MOROCCO POLITICAL HIGHLIGHTS 
 
REF: A. 2004 RABAT 1301 
     B. RABAT 359 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (SBU) Table of Contents 
 
  - Early Reactions to Algeria's New Ambassador to Morocco 
  - King Mohammed VI Receives King of Bahrain 
  - King Pardons Underage Would-Be Suicide Bomber Twins 
  - International Community Pleased with Tindouf POW Release 
  - PJD and USFP Clash over Cultural Festivals 
  - Narcotics News 
  - Illegal Immigration Roundup 
 
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EARLY REACTIONS TO ALGERIA'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO 
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2.  (C) Following several weeks of rumors, Algeria officially 
appointed Presidential Chief of Staff (and former Army 
General) Larbi Belkheir Ambassador to Morocco on August 25, 
according to local press reports.  Contacts tell us that 
despite Belkheir's years of service in the Algerian military, 
he is regarded within Moroccan foreign policy circles as a 
"man of dialogue," particularly with respect to bilateral 
relations with Morocco.  While Morocco is generally wary of 
Algerian officials with military backgrounds, the King 
reportedly approved Belkheir's agrement the same day.  One 
MFA official, Multilateral Affairs Director Mohamed 
Loulichki, sounded a more pessimistic note, telling Polcouns 
that Morocco expected that Bouteflika would keep Belkheir on 
a tight leash, and scoffing at notions that Belkheir was more 
sympathetic to Morocco than other members of Bouteflika's 
circle.  Post will report further reactions septel. 
 
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KING MOHAMMED VI RECEIVES KING OF BAHRAIN 
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3.  (U) King Mohammed VI received King Hamad Ben Issa Al 
Khalifa of Bahrain at the Royal Palace in Tetouan on August 
23, according to Morocco's official news agency, Maghreb 
Arabe Presse (MAP).  The two leaders reportedly discussed 
ways to improve bilateral relations and the implications of 
Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza strip. 
 
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KING PARDONS UNDERAGE WOULD-BE SUICIDE BOMBER TWINS 
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4.  (U) On the occasion of the Revolution of the King and the 
People on August 20, the King pardoned the 16-year old twin 
sisters that were sentenced to 5 years in prison in January 
2004 on charges they belonged to a Rabat terrorist group and 
volunteered to serve as suicide bombers (ref A), according to 
the English-language Morocco Times website.  In an interview 
with Morocco Times, the twins expressed deep regret at having 
been caught up in fundamentalist ideology and vowed to live a 
normal life free of extremism.  The sisters explained that 
poverty and a divided family contributed to their decision to 
turn to extremism.  The twins were transferred upon their 
release to the Childhood Protection Center in Casablanca 
where a judge decided they will remain until they reach the 
age of 18 or are claimed by their families.  The sentencing 
of the twins had caused widespread anguish in Moroccan 
society. 
 
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INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLEASED WITH POW RELEASE 
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5.  (U) The United Nations, European Union, France, and 
Amnesty International have issued public statements since 
August 18 commending the release of the 404 Moroccan POWs in 
the Tindouf camps by the Polisario, according to MAP.  UNSYG 
Kofi Annan and Amnesty International called the release a 
"positive step," while France and the EU expressed a desire 
that the release would lead to a final negotiated solution to 
the conflict. 
 
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PJD AND USFP CLASH OVER CULTURAL FESTIVALS 
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6.  (U) The Socialist Union of Popular Forces party (USFP) 
and the Islamist Party for Justice and Development (PJD) have 
been waging a media war over the role of cultural festivals 
in Morocco through various media outlets since July.  The 
clash began after the Movement of Unity and Reform (MUR), a 
conservative wing within the PJD, released a statement 
criticizing the "ethical drifts" (such as hashish smoking) 
that occur at these festivals and calling them places of 
debauchery.  In tit-for-tat fashion, the Minister of Culture, 
Mohammed Achaari, a senior USFP member, stated in an 
interview with French-language daily Aujourd'hui le Maroc 
that Islamists are "against modernity."  Minister Achaari 
defended the rights of young Moroccans to challenge those who 
would impose their morality on others.  The editor-in-chief 
of the PJD-affiliated, Arabic daily Attajdid, Abdelilah 
Benkirane, responded with an article indicating that MUR has 
a right to bring to the attention of its readers the 
"illegal" behavior that takes place during festivals.  The 
PJD-USFP media war is reminiscent of a similar clash between 
the two parties in February 2005 when Attajdid carried 
articles claiming that Muslim victims of the tsunami in 
Southeast Asia were being punished by God for inappropriate 
behavior. 
 
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NARCOTICS 
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7.  (U) The province of Larache in northern Morocco will be 
declared "cannabis-free" on September 12, according to 
French-language daily Aujourd'hui le Maroc.  The official 
ceremony marking the occasion will be overseen by a 
delegation from the European Commission as well as Minister 
of Interior Al Mostapha Sahel and Director of Agency for the 
Development of the Northern Provinces Driss Benhima.  The 
government has reportedly destroyed some 3,697 hectares of 
cannabis in the campaign. 
 
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 
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8.  (U) In two separate operations between August 20-22, the 
Royal Navy seized 109 would-be illegal immigrants off the 
coast of Al Hoceima in northern Morocco, according to MAP. 
All 109 suspects, who were attempting to illegally emigrate 
to Spain, were turned over to the Gendarmerie Royale for 
medical attention, investigation, and legal procedure. 
RILEY