VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0150 0291336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291336Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5688
INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0313
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0274
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 2594

UNCLAS RABAT 000150 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON MA
SUBJECT: MOROCCO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2012 TANGIER EXPO 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified-- entire text.  Not for internet 
distribution. 
 
¶1. (U) Summary; The Moroccan government kicked off its 
campaign for Tangier's bid for the 2012 International Expo by 
convoking the diplomatic corps to the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs on Tuesday, January 23, for a presentation outlining 
its plans.   Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri stressed the 
importance Morocco attaches to Tangier's candidacy, noting 
that it would be the first exposition to be held in an 
African, Arab, or Muslim country.  Officials outlined the 
bid's theme of "Routes of the World and the Meeting of 
Cultures: for a more United World," which seeks to emphasize 
Tangier's role as a crossroads of the Western Mediterranean. 
Moroccan officials conceded that they face tough competition 
from Polish and Korean competitors, but outlined an active 
campaign leading up to December's vote in the Bureau of 
International Expos (BIE).  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Ministry officials characterized the January 23 
session as the official launch of Tangier's candidacy for the 
2012 expo, and used the opportunity to outline their plans 
for the event.  Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri, who chaired 
the session, stressed Morocco's belief that the time has come 
for an expo to occur on "African, Arab, and Muslim soil," and 
noted that the theme chosen is intended to take advantage of 
Tangier's role as a gateway between Africa and Europe by 
stressing "Routes of the World and the Meeting of Cultures: 
for a more Unified World."  Officials outlined plans for a 
circular exposition park of 100 hectares, which would open on 
to the bay at Tangier.  Five separate access points would 
correspond to five subthemes: routes and systems of 
transport, human and cultural paths, commercial routes, 
virtual routes, and roads of the imagination. 
 
¶3. (U) Tangier's governor, Mohammed Hassad, noted that the 
exposition would require an investment of over 400 million 
USD, but that it would generate nearly 100 million USD in 
profits, which would enable the city to pursue new cultural 
and social projects.  He stressed the major infrastructure 
investments and improvements that are already underway in the 
Tangier area, including notably the Tanger-Med port, new 
highways and train lines, the progressive transformation of 
both residential and industrial areas in the city, and the 
preservation of the city's patrimony.  While conceding that 
Tangier's current hotel capacity is only 1300 beds, he noted 
that by 2012 the capacity of Tangier and its surrounding 
region will increase to 40,000, well in excess of what the 
expo would require.  Urban transportation improvements are 
also on the horizon, he said, to reinforce the city's 
existing transportation network. 
 
¶4. (U) According to organizers, the next key step is a visit 
by representatives of the International Exposition Bureau 
(BIE) to verify the viability of Tangier's candidacy.  That 
visit is scheduled for March 30-April 4.  Noting that Tangier 
faces competition from both Wroclaw in Poland and Yeosu in 
South Korea, officials indicated Moroccan lobbying will 
continue and intensify in the run-up to BIE's December vote. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Hassad has already attracted extensive 
attention throughout Morocco and internationally for his 
dynamism and success in tackling and starting to reverse the 
city's longstanding decline.  Moroccan officials clearly view 
the Expo as a way to further reinforce these efforts, given 
expections of 6 million visitors during its planned three 
month run.  The Ambassador attended the briefing and in 
comments to the press outlined the informal assistance he has 
extended to expo organizers, in facilitating their contacts 
with U.S. counterparts who have taken part in past Expos. 
End Comment. 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
****************************************** 
 
Riley