VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0420 1411625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211625Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0136
INFO RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4611

UNCLAS RABAT 000420 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG - S WILLIAMS, EEB/CIP/TS - S LETT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS PREL KTIA MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO REQUESTS FURTHER CONSULTATIONS ON ITSO 
DIRECTOR GENERAL 
 
REF: STATE 52173 
 
¶1.  (U) This message contains an ACTION REQUEST.  Please 
see para 4. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) EconCouns and Econoff made reftel points regarding 
the potential International Telecommunications  Satellite 
Organization (ITSO) Extraordinary Assembly to Department of 
Post, Telecommunications and New Technologies Secretary 
General Taieb Debbagh on May 21.  Econoffs highlighted the 
urgency of avoiding international arbitration and emphasized 
that no ITSO Parties had complained about USG management of 
its responsibilities under the ITSO Treaty.  After taking 
note of USG concerns, Debbagh informed us that he would in 
fact be meeting with ITSO Director General Ahmed Toumi two 
hours after our discussion.  "I'll get Toumi's point of view" 
this afternoon, Debbagh promised, and requested that the USG 
provide a paper summarizing our perspective to use in further 
discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
Cooperation (MFAC) to determine Morocco's position on the 
matter as an ITSO Party. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Debbagh proposed meeting again with EconCouns in 
the near future following receipt of a paper from the U.S., 
in order to discuss more completely Morocco's position and 
any possibility that the GOM could address the dispute 
directly with Toumi.  Assuming that the Extraordinary 
Assembly of Parties will be held as currently planned, 
Debbagh noted, he will represent Morocco at the meeting. 
Post will re-engage with Debbagh next week to follow up on 
the issue, and will also demarche the MFAC's office dealing 
with international technical organizations when the 
responsible officer returns from travel next week. 
 
¶4.  (U) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests that the Department 
provide a non-paper appropriate to leave with the GOM 
summarizing the USG concerns about holding an Extraordinary 
Assembly and the possibility of arbitration, including 
appropriate relevant background to the dispute between Toumi 
and the Governments of the U.S. and the U.K. 
 
 
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Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
***************************************** 
 
Jackson