US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS1866

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001866 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, PGOV, PTER, MR, AG 
SUBJECT: ALGERIAN POLICY ON MAURITANIA 
 
REF: A. STATE 159146 
 
     B. ALGIERS 1759 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) In an August 31 meeting with FM Bedjaoui on other 
issues, Ambassador briefed on U.S. policy approach toward 
Mauritania Ref A), emphasizing that the United States wanted 
to see an early return to constitutional order (6-12 months) 
and to keep the African Union (AU) in the lead as our 
principal partner in pushing for elections and ensuring a 
smooth transition.  Ambassador said we understood that the 
new military leadership was asking for UN election 
assistance, which was positive.  However, they seemed to be 
thinking in terms of a referendum a year from now and 
elections the following year.  This was much too long a time 
to return to constitutional order and was a matter of concern. 
 
2. (C) Bedjaoui said he "quite agreed" with the U.S. 
approach.  He emphasized that the AU's historic decision to 
condemn all unconstitutional changes of government had been 
taken in Algiers.  Maintaining the principle of the 
unacceptability of military coups was thus especially 
important for Algeria.  Algeria had thus supported the AU's 
condemnation of the coup and, during the August visit of a 
Mauritanian envoy (Ref B), had urged the need to return to 
constitutional order in Mauritania.  Since Mauritania was a 
neighboring country, Bedjaoui commented, its stability was 
important for Algeria, which was engaged in organizing 
elections and supporting the AU position.  At the same time, 
he added that Algeria had the impression the ousted 
government had been "too dictatorial." 
 
3. (C) Ambassador noted in this regard that there seemed to 
be very little popular resistance to the coup and that some 
of the reforms the new leaders have mentioned were positive. 
That said, we believed that a two-year timeframe for 
elections and a return to constitutional order was not 
acceptable and that even positive reform measures would lack 
legitimacy, unless they were adopted by an elected government 
and parliament.  Our collective energies and focus, 
Ambassador stressed, should be on getting new elections 
scheduled within 6-12 months. 
 
ERDMAN