US embassy cable - 05RABAT1810

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 001810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/SCE, NEA, NEA/MAG, IO 
DOD FOR FOSTER, SKOCZ 
NSC FOR SHINAGEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, XF, MR, MO, NATO 
SUBJECT: GOM EXPLORES USG INTEREST IN NATO DOCUMENTATION 
CENTER 
 
REF: USNATO 00453 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Timothy Lenderking, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request.  See para 3. 
 
2.  (C) On the margins of a meeting with MFA Bilateral 
Affairs Officer Karim Halim on August 26, and drawing on 
Reftel, Poloffs inquired about Morocco's stated offer to 
establish a NATO documentation center in Rabat.  Halim said 
that he was aware that the center had been discussed and 
agreed upon within the MFA, but that the Ministry still 
needed to decide on a location and what the contents of such 
a documentation center would be.  The MFA library is one 
possible locale for the center, Halim said; however, the 
library is not currently large enough to facilitate 
conferences and/or seminars.  Ultimately, Halim said, the 
Minister will make the decision.  Halim inquired how 
interested the USG is in the center, leaving Poloffs with the 
impression that USG interest might make the documentation 
center come to fruition sooner. 
 
3.  (C) Action request:  Post would appreciate guidance from 
the Department or USNATO on whether Embassy should continue 
to raise the idea of establishing a NATO documentation center 
in Rabat with Moroccan officials.  Given the GOM's apparent 
interest in expanding ties to NATO, we would be prepared to 
raise other issues pertaining to Moroccan participation in 
NATO activities or Med Dialogue as well. 
RILEY