VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #1099/01 1840849
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030849Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6852
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 4460
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 9319
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3516
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS RABAT 001099 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND L 
NOAA (ED KRUSE) 
DEPT OES (FERNANDO ECHAVARRIA AND BOB SENSENEY) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIA PARM MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: PROGRESS TOWARD A SEISMIC MONITORING 
STATION AGREEMENT 
 
REF: 04 RABAT 01121 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: On March 25, Department of the Air Force 
Deputy General Counsel for International Affairs Michael 
Zehner and Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) 
representative Bill Barker held successful follow on 
negotiations with Said Belcadi, Director of Morocco,s 
National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) 
on a draft seismic monitoring agreement.  The U.S. and 
Morocco made substantial progress toward concluding an 
agreement to establish a seismic monitoring station in 
Morocco, after reaching consensus on minor changes proposed 
by Morocco to the draft text.  Next, an AFTAC technical team 
will visit Morocco in the fall 2007 to conduct noise surveys 
to identify the most appropriate location for the station. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Air Force Deputy General Counsel Michael Zehner and 
AFTAC representative Bill Barker discussed March 25 changes 
proposed by Morocco to the seismic monitoring station 
agreement with CNRST Director Said Belcadi, CNRST Geologist 
Prof. Aomar Iben Brahim, MFA Legal Advisor Abdelatif Sadafi, 
and several other technical specialists from CNRST. (NB: 
CNRST, a quasi-governmental institution, has considerable 
latitude in its activities as a research body, but ultimately 
falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education, 
Professional Training, and Scientific Research.) 
 
¶3.  (U) Belcadi began the discussions by recalling the 
progress achieved in the 2004 negotiations (reftel), and 
reiterated Morocco,s desire to conclude the agreement in as 
timely a manner as possible.  He also agreed to host an AFTAC 
technical team in the fall to conduct another round of noise 
surveys at two potential monitoring station locations. (NB: 
AFTAC and CNRST geologists have been in contact about a 
technical visit in October/November.) 
 
¶4.  (U) The GOM team raised several minor changes to the 2004 
draft agreement, in large part previously presented via a MFA 
diplomatic note addressed to the Embassy dated May 7, 2007 
(that Embassy forwarded to AFTAC for review).  Moroccan 
remarks centered on: the Joint Scientific Commission's role 
in budget issues (Article III), training for CNRST personnel 
on analysis and processing of seismic data (Article IV), 
CNRST responsibilities for supporting the station (Article 
V), and the GOM delegation also requested further 
clarification on the scope of the third party transfers 
section (Article VI). 
 
¶5.  (U) The proposals suggested by the GOM team were 
relatively minor and both delegations easily resolved the 
differences and reached consensus on acceptable text in each 
case.  The U.S and Morocco agreed that the current text is 
ready to be reviewed in each capital, followed by preparation 
of the agreement for signature.  (Note: Barker informed 
Embassy that AFTAC will directly transmit the latest 
agreement text to the Department. End Note.) 
 
¶6.  (U) On several occasions through the discussions, GOM 
negotiators highlighted potential difficulties associated 
with acquiring appropriate land rights at the two proposed 
site locations, located near Boumia (Midelt Region) and near 
Oussilkane (Anti Atlas).  All indications suggest that 
Morocco currently favors establishing the seismic monitoring 
station at the Boumia site, ostensibly due to the difficulty 
involved in accessing the Anti Atlas site, which is located 
in a mountainous region and not in close proximity to 
established transport routes.  Barker suggested that 
discussions concerning site location be deferred until 
analysis of the upcoming noise surveys is complete.  The GOM 
team agreed. 
 
¶7.  (U) Comment: The flexibility displayed by Belcadi and the 
GOM delegation on modifications they had initially proposed 
was encouraging, and likely reflects Morocco's desire to ink 
the agreement sooner rather than later.  We believe an 
expeditious signing of the agreement may result in a 
similarly prompt determination of a station site location 
(once the noise surveys have taken place).  End Comment. 
 
 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
 
****************************************** 
 
RILEY