US embassy cable - 05ALGIERS2165

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 002165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, TSPL, EAIR, SCUL, KMPI, AG, INRB 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON NEW MFA DIRECTOR 
GENERAL FOR THE AMERICAS 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
SUMMARY AND COMMENT 
-------------------- 
 
1. (C) During an October 24 courtesy call, Ambassador briefed 
new MFA Americas Director General Fatiha Selmane on bilateral 
issues.  Selmane, up until a year ago Algeria's ambassador to 
South Africa, agreed bilateral relations were good and 
growing; noted our excellent post-9/11 counter-terrorism 
cooperation; and, in response to Ambassador's expressions of 
concern on the Blue Lantern issue, pledged to re-engage with 
the Ministry of National Defense, which she confirmed had 
jurisdiction over this issue.  Selmane was also pleased that 
the Embassy would be resuming full non-immigrant visa 
services in Algiers beginning November 5; that the Open Skies 
negotiations were nearing completion; that the Science and 
Technology Cooperation Framework Agreement would be signed 
around mid-December; and that the Ambassador and Education 
Minister on October 30 would be signing a cooperative 
agreement for upgrading English teaching and curricula in 
Algeria.  These were all signs, she agreed, that our 
bilateral cooperation was moving in a very positive 
direction.  Selmane left a very positive impression and 
agreed on the importance of maintaining good channels of 
communication in order to overcome obstacles, avoid 
misunderstandings, and advance our common agenda. (End 
summary and comment) 
 
WELCOME ON BOARD 
---------------- 
 
2.  (C) In an October 24 courtesy call with newly installed 
MFA Director General for the Americas Fatiha Selmane, 
Ambassador, accompanied by PolEc Chief, gave an overview of 
several current bilateral issues.  The Ambassador began by 
congratulating Selmane on her new position.  Selmane 
commented that the Americas were an unknown continent for 
her, since she had not served in the Western Hemisphere. 
However, while on assignment in Spain with the MFA, she had 
dealt with Latin American issues.  Selmane said she began her 
career at the MFA in Algiers working on Indian subcontinent 
issues.  In between her first and current jobs, she held 
postings in Africa, including as Ambassador to South Africa, 
and Europe.  When Ambassador noted that Dr. Cheikh Bouamrane, 
head of the High Islamic Council of Algeria, would be 
attending Ambassador's iftar that evening, which Selmane was 
attending, she responded he was her father! 
 
3.  (C) Ambassador said he sought an open, direct dialogue 
with Selmane and her staff on all matters.  Selmane responded 
by stating her willingness to make a positive contribution to 
the U.S.-Algerian relationship.  Bilateral relations were 
continuing to expand, said Selmane, but there were often 
bureaucratic obstacles to overcome, and Ambassador should not 
hesitate to contact her should the need arise.  She would try 
to help the Embassy.  Ambassador thanked Selmane for her 
pledge and noted that in 2001, with the 9/11 attacks and with 
Algerian having defeated terrorism strategically and opting 
to move toward democracy and open markets, we for the first 
time shared a common political and economic vision for the 
future.  This had provided a solid basis for what has been a 
continuing expansion of our bilateral cooperation.  Selmane 
said Algeria was painfully aware of the costs of terrorism 
from its own very difficult experience in the 1990s.  She 
added that 9/11 was also tragic for the U.S. and that 
cooperation in counter-terrorism was fruitful for both 
countries. 
 
BLUE LANTERN:  MFA WILL RE-ENGAGE WITH DEFENSE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
4. C) Ambassador briefed Selmane in detail on the Blue 
Lantern issue, stressing that although the issue at hand (our 
request for a letter confirming receipt of some sensitive 
equipment) was relatively minor, the consequences of 
non-cooperation in this area could be considerable. 
Protecting sensitive U.S. technologies from getting into the 
wrong hands was a legal requirement, and in the interest of 
both the U.S. and our partners, and we asked for this same 
kind of cooperation from even our closest allies like the UK. 
 Ambassador believed there must be a misunderstanding here 
because Algeria up until a year ago had cooperated with this 
program without any problems.  In the current case involving 
a purchase from a South African firm, we had come to Algeria 
for verification not because we did not trust Algeria but 
because for various reasons we had come to distrust the firm 
in question. 
 
5. (C) Continuing, Ambassador said we had turned to Algeria 
for confirmation precisely because we DID trust it.  After a 
year of unsuccessfully urging a response to our request, we 
had finally been obliged to return without action all license 
requests concerning sales to Algeria.  This was good neither 
for the U.S. nor for Algeria because, among other things, it 
meant Algeria would not be able to proceed with needed 
upgrades of its C-130s; the Spanish firm CASA would not be 
able to ship the planes Algeria had purchased; and we would 
not be able to move forward on any of the more advanced kinds 
of equipment in which Algeria had expressed interest. 
Finally, while the Ambassador believed this was not the case, 
it risked creating the impression that Algeria in fact was 
hiding something.  This was a very minimalist, non-obtrusive 
request and we frankly were perplexed that the GOA found 
difficulties with it, especially given its past cooperation. 
Selmane confirmed the issue was within the purview of the 
Ministry of National Defense and said she would use the 
occasion of her arrival to re-engage the MND on Blue Lantern. 
 
 
FULL CONSULAR SERVICES TO RESUME 
-------------------------------- 
 
6.  (C) Noting Algerian press stories that morning, 
Ambassador said he would formally be announcing the next day 
that Embassy Algiers would resume full non-immigrant visa 
services November 5.  Ambassador said this was a further step 
toward normalizing Embassy operations, noting that proceeding 
with such normalization as the security situation permitted 
had been a specific mandate from the Secretary and Deputy 
Secretary of State.  Ambassador said we had expected ten 
 
SIPDIS 
journalists at the press conference, but 66 had signed up to 
attend!  This was another reflection of growing ties and 
interest linking our countries.  Selmane agreed the 
resumption of these services was a strong signal of how 
bilateral relations were improving and a sign of the progress 
made in the area of security. 
 
OPEN SKIES NEAR COMPLETION 
-------------------------- 
 
7.  (C) On another good note, Ambassador said he had 
preliminary indications from his consultations in Washington 
that we appeared very close to finalizing an Open Skies 
agreement, with only a couple of issues/clarifications 
remaining.  Ambassador looked forward to sharing the details 
once he had official instructions.  Ambassador proposed that 
once we reach agreement in the French and English texts, the 
U.S. present draft translations in Arabic for GOA review. 
This would save considerable time and effort based on our 
mutual experience with collaborating on translations for the 
Science and Technology Agreement, which we expected would be 
signed by U/S Dobriansky during a visit on or about December 
12.  Selmane said the GOA was looking forward to Dobriansky's 
visit and having the agreement take effect.  She also agreed 
that the Open Skies agreement translations be done by the 
Department, with subsequent review by the GOA. 
 
AGREEMENT FOR EXPANDED ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TEACHING 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
8.  (C) Ambassador closed out the meeting by announcing that 
agreement had been reached with the Ministry of Education on 
a $4 million program that would expand the teaching of 
English in Algeria through the introduction of new teaching 
methods, technology, a revised curriculum, and partnerships. 
The agreement was scheduled for signature October 30. 
Selmane said it was always easier to work on resolving issues 
if the partners were agreeable, as in the case of her new 
American partners.  Ambassador agreed and said he looked 
forward to working with Selmane in her new position. 
 
ERDMAN