US embassy cable - 05RABAT2389

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002389 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - CAPTION ADDED 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2015 
TAGS: MO, PBTS, PGOV, PHUM, PREL 
SUBJECT: MOROCCO POLITICAL HIGHLIGHTS 
 
REF: RABAT 2287 
 
Classified By: Poloff Marcel Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
1.  (SBU) Contents 
 
 - Israeli Participation in EuroMed Assembly Sparks 
Controversy 
 - Mauritanian President Receives Warm Welcome by the King 
 - Morocco Renews Demand for Release of Moroccan Hostages in 
Iraq 
 - Morocco-South African Relations Still in the Tank 
 - Istiqlal Opts for Socialist Allies over Islamists 
 - Survey Shows Poor Conditions in Moroccan Prisons 
 - Join a Protest, Earn a Quick 30 Euros 
 
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Israeli Participation in EuroMed Assembly Sparks Controversy 
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2.  (C) As part of the Euro-Mediterranean (EuroMed) 
Parliamentary Assembly,s extraordinary session held in Rabat 
November 20-21 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the 
Barcelona Process, two Israeli parliamentarians (Deputy 
Education Minister Majali Wahbe and Punlun Daniel (phonetic) 
participated in the event alongside Syria and other Arab 
countries.  Protesting Israeli participation, the Moroccan 
Association for Human Rights (AMDH) organized a sit-in on 
November 20 that drew 50-100 people, according to various 
Moroccan press sources.  The French-language daily 
L,Economiste reported November 21 that the two Israeli 
parliamentarians threatened to leave the assembly, saying 
they did not appreciate being used as a "punching ball" by 
Arab parliamentarians.  Other Moroccan press reported that 
two well-known Moroccan journalists who participated in the 
sit-in decided to leave the demonstration after alleged 
Islamists began chanting slogans against Royal Advisor Andre 
Azoulay. (NB: Royal Counselor Andre Azoulay is the most 
senior Jewish official in the Moroccan government and has 
traditionally served as a Palace,s link to the Moroccan 
Jewish community and to the Israelis). 
 
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Mauritanian President Receives Warm Welcome by the King 
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3.  (U) In his first trip to Morocco since he came to power 
in early August, Colonel Ould Vall, Chairman of the 
Mauritanian Military Council for Justice and Democracy 
(CMJD), was well-received by King Mohammed VI during his 
two-day state visit to Marrakech November 21-22.  Morocco, it 
seems, pulled out all the stops to welcome the new regime in 
Nouakchott, as Vall met with the King, Prime Minister Jettou, 
Foreign Minister Benaissa, and other senior GOM officials. 
In addition to discussing the overall strengthening of 
bilateral ties, the King and Vall chaired the signing of 
three cooperation agreements in the fields of drinking water, 
fisheries, and agriculture. (NB: Colonel Vall is a graduate 
of the Military School of Meknes.) 
 
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Morocco Renews Demand for Release of Moroccan Hostages in Iraq 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
4.  (U) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation on 
November 20 released a statement strongly reiterating its 
demand for the unconditional release of two Moroccan citizens 
being held captive in Iraq.  The two Moroccans, Abdelkrim 
al-Mouhafidi and Abderrahim Boualem, were taken hostage 
October 20 by an Iraqi group affiliated with Al-Qaeda. 
According to the Maghreb Arab Press website, the NeoMaroc 
association, a local NGO, plans to soon hold a rally calling 
for the liberation of the two Moroccans and to denounce an 
"act that is contrary to Islam and all international 
conventions."  The two Moroccan hostages are now featured in 
a box each day on the front page of French-language daily Le 
Matin, along with a caption noting how many days they have 
spent in captivity. 
 
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Morocco-South African Relations Still in the Tank 
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5.  (C) TDY South African Charg Janice Strachan told 
Polcouns November 15 that the GOM continued to drag its feet 
on agrement for the new South African Ambassador (NB: The 
previous South African Ambassador departed this past summer 
and was replaced temporarily by Strachan, a mid-level MFA 
official.  Relations between the two countries plummeted when 
South Africa recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 
(SADR) in 2004, prompting Morocco to withdraw its ambassador 
from Pretoria).  Strachan reported that she has access to the 
MFA when she needs to, but said her government is incensed 
that the GOM has not even acknowledged receiving the request 
for agrement.  Strachan will end her six-month stint in 
Morocco in December, and said a temporary successor has not 
yet been identified. 
 
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Istiqlal Opts for Socialist Allies over Islamists 
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6.  (SBU) Istiqlal party executive committee member and upper 
house parliamentarian, Mohamed El Ansari, told Poloff 
November 16 that there was serious debate with the committee 
leading up to party leader Abbas El Fassi,s announcement on 
November 11 that Istiqlal would join forces again with its 
2002 elections ally, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces 
party (USFP), for the 2007 parliamentary elections.  El 
Ansari confided to Poloff that while he and several others on 
the committee favored an alliance with the Islamist Party for 
Justice and Development (PJD), especially in light of the 
USFP,s recent courting of leftist opposition parties (NB: 
Istiqlal is a center-right party), a majority of the 
committee voted to stick it out with the USFP.  El Ansari 
said that while he will honor the party,s decision, which he 
noted was decided democratically, he does not rule out a day 
when Istiqlal and the PJD are seen as allies. 
 
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Survey Shows Poor Conditions in Moroccan Prisons 
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7.  (U) The Moroccan daily L,Economiste on November 22 
reported the Moroccan nongovernmental organization, the 
Moroccan Observatory of Prisons (OMP), had recently completed 
a survey of prisoners incarcerated in Kenitra, Souk Larbaa, 
Sale, and Casablanca.  According to the daily, the 331 
prisoners who responded to the questionnaire revealed that 
conditions are poor in these four prisons, including physical 
and mental abuse.  Prisoners apparently become accustomed 
over time to being incarcerated, as the survey indicated 
reports of abuse decreases as the period of imprisonment 
increases.  Prisoners also described problems with health 
services and family visits. 
 
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Join a Protest, Earn a Quick 30 Euros 
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8.  (SBU) PolFSN reported that during a recent visit to 
Algeciras in southern Spain, he happened upon a pro-Polisario 
demonstration taking place in the center of town.  To his 
surprise he noticed a number of apparently non-Sahrawi 
Moroccans participating in the demonstration.  PolFSN 
approached several of the Moroccans to ask why they were 
demonstrating for the Polisario.  "Thirty Euros," was the 
eager response. 
Riley