US embassy cable - 05RABAT2177

UNCLAS RABAT 002177 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, SMIG, MO 
SUBJECT:  Moratinos Visits Morocco to Discuss Illegal 
Migration 
 
Ref: Casablanca 1068; Casablanca 1052; Rabat 2110 
 
1.   (U) Summary:  Spanish FM Miguel Angel Moratinos visited 
Morocco October 11 to discuss illegal immigration with FM 
Benaissa in the wake of the massive immigrant assaults on 
Spanish border posts in northern Morocco (reftels).  The 
foreign ministers agreed to create a bilateral ad hoc 
ministerial committee to facilitate joint action on 
immigration and to convene a Euro-African ministerial 
meeting inviting all of the countries involved in regional 
migration issues.  Despite the urgency of the situation, 
Spanish officials thought the Euro-African ministerial would 
likely not be held until 2006.  End summary. 
 
2.   (U) Following massive assaults on the borders by sub- 
Saharan Africans attempting to reach the two Spanish 
enclaves of Ceuta and Mellila in northern Morocco, Spanish 
FM Moratinos and his counterpart Mohamed Benaissa met in 
Rabat October 11 to discuss the urgent migration issues 
facing both countries.  According to French daily Le Matin, 
the Ministers declared that the question of illegal 
immigration "is not a Spanish-Moroccan but an Afro-European 
problem which relates to all Africa and Europe." 
Consequently, Spain has asked the EU for $48 million to help 
Morocco control its borders and combat human trafficking. 
During the October 11 press conference following the 
minister's joint meeting, Moratinos insisted that it is "an 
important and urgent priority not only for Spain but for the 
entire EU to design a very ambitious policy for cooperation 
in tackling immigration." 
 
3.   (U) According to Moroccan official news agency Maghreb 
Arab Press (MAP), Deputy FM Taieb Fassi Fihri asserted 
following the ministers' meeting that "Morocco is taking its 
responsibility in the fight against illegal immigration and 
is determined to protect its borders," explaining that this 
is despite the fact that Morocco has not received "one euro 
or a single dollar" from Europe for keeping illegal migrants 
away from its borders.  Fassi Fihri added that "Morocco 
alone cannot continue to tackle immigration" 
 
 
4.   (U) Moratinos and Benaissa agreed to set up an ad hoc 
bilateral interdepartmental joint committee to tackle 
migratory flow challenges faced by the two countries and the 
region.  According to the ministers' declaration, this 
committee will meet as soon as possible to evaluate 
migration in the region and to work out a strategy with 
adequate and sustainable solutions.  The same declaration 
announced that the two countries will organize a Euro- 
African ministerial conference to be held in Morocco that 
will involve all the countries of "origin, transit and 
destination." 
 
 
5. (SBU) Following the meetings, Poloff spoke with Counselor 
at the Spanish Embassy Jorge Cabezas who said that the 
Spanish are "generally happy," with the collaboration 
between the two countries thus far on the issue.  He 
estimated that the ad hoc ministerial meeting would likely 
not occur until mid-November, noting that the decisions on 
which ministries are to be involved will take some time. 
Indicating that the GOS had already contacted both the 
European Union and the African Union, Cabezas predicted that 
the larger Euro-African ministerial convening all of the 
countries involved would likely not take place at least 
until early 2006.