US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS2149

UNCLAS ALGIERS 002149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, AG, WI, Polisario 
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS DELIVERED ON ADJUSTING FOOD AID FOR 
SAHRAWI REFUGEES 
 
REF: STATE 194073 
 
1.  PolEc Chief delivered points requested reftel October 22 
to UNDP Resident Representative Marc Destanne de Bernis (in 
the absence of an available UNHCR representative) and to WFP 
Representative and Country Director Marius de Gaay Fortman. 
PolEc Chief stressed that we stood behind efforts to provide 
an accurate count of the Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf 
camps as well as behind an appeal to the GOA on humanitarian 
grounds to allow the refugees to be registered using UNHCR's 
Profile/Progress system.  PolEc Chief also stated that 
PolOff, in an October 22 meeting previously scheduled with 
the appropriate MFA office on other issues, was also weighing 
in with the GOA. 
 
2.  Destanne de Bernis replied that the U.S. position on this 
issue was identical to that of the UN, while Fortman thanked 
the U.S. for making its views known to the GOA.  Fortman 
added that because of the relief effort in Pakistan to assist 
victims of the recent earthquakes, it was doubtful that UN 
officials would hold meetings in Algiers with the GOA this 
month.  It was more likely, he said, that the Algiers 
meetings would be postponed until November. 
 
3.  In his separate meeting with MFA Deputy Director for UN 
and Inter-regional Conferences Bouhadou, PolOff stressed our 
desire for GOA help in convincing the Polisario to accept the 
registration of the refugees in the Tindouf camps.  Since 
this issue cut across MFA departmental jurisdictions, 
Bouhadou said he needed to consult with MFA colleagues from 
other offices before providing a GOA reaction.  Bouhadou 
offered to inform Embassy Algiers of the GOA position once it 
was established. 
 
ERDMAN