VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #1331/01 2341709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221709Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7229
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 4496
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 2146
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3359
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 5752
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 3538
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4722
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 9361
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3365
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0713

UNCLAS RABAT 001331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM MO
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION BEGINS WITH 
SUCCESSFUL PRE-ASSESSMENT 
 
REF: RABAT 1249 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The organization of Morocco,s first-ever 
international election observation kicked off with a 
week-long pre-election assessment mission organized by the 
National Democratic Institute (NDI).  In meetings with 
embassy and an August 15 press conference, the delegation 
recognized positive developments in the electoral 
environment, but noted several concerns, including declining 
public confidence in political institutions and recent 
challenges to press freedoms.  They noted the need for 
transparent reporting of election results, which now may be 
addressed by a German-funded NGO focused on that part of the 
process.  The assessors also urged the GOM to provide formal 
credentials and clear guidance to election officials on the 
role of observers; the absence of such has been complicated 
since the Human Rights Consultative Council (CCDH) is the GOM 
lead, with the Interior Ministry clearly on board, but 
abjuring any formal, documentary verification.  POL followed 
up with MOI elections chief who assured us that CCDH has all 
the needed authorities.  Japan, Canada, the Netherlands also 
have signed up to join the 40-50 international observers 
expected September 3-10. Despite some initial problems, the 
productive visit of the assessment mission appears to bode 
well for a successful observation.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) From August 8-15, a MEPI-funded international 
pre-election assessment team, organized by NDI, visited 
Morocco to examine the political environment surrounding the 
September 7 legislative ballot.  The team was briefed by 
Ambassador Riley on August 10, including information on USG 
support for the elector effort.  The team met with government 
officials, election authorities, political party leaders, 
civil society actors, and media.  The delegation wrapped up 
their visit with a press conference, and released a report 
outlining their findings accompanied by a comprehensive list 
of recommendations for Moroccan authorities and political 
parties. 
 
¶3.  (U) At their August 15 press conference and previously in 
meetings with embassy, the five-member team, led by Irish 
Senator Frances Fitzgerald, highlighted a number of recent 
positive developments in the electoral environment: 
issue-based campaigning, incorporation of voter interests 
into party platforms, aggressive voter registration and civic 
education efforts, and impressive administrative election 
preparations on the part of the GOM.  The upcoming elections 
offer an important opportunity to deepen the process of 
democratization in Morocco, they said. 
 
¶4.  (U) The delegation also noted the evident and potentially 
alarming trend of declining confidence in political 
institutions, which has made turnout a major issue.  Given 
the mechanics of the electoral law, and gerrymandering 
earlier in the year, there could also be a significant 
disconnect between the popular vote totals by political 
parties and their resulting representation in parliament, 
they explained.  Recent challenges to press freedoms were 
also a concern.  They suggested that after the election, the 
ensuing government and parliament should be given additional 
capacities to increase citizen investment in Morocco's 
democratic development.  They expect the full observation 
mission may elaborate on these recommendations in its 
post-election final report. 
 
¶5. (U) The team's principal recommendations included: 
impartial enforcement of campaigning regulations, free and 
fair access to the media and campaigning, and publication of 
official election results in a timely and transparent manner. 
 Concerning the planned international observation, they asked 
for clear guidelines from the government to local polling 
stations concerning the prerogatives of international and 
domestic observers, and universally recognized credentials 
for observers to help ensure appropriate access.  CCDH has 
undertaken to provide this, but something formal from MOI 
would be reassuring. 
 
¶6. (U) On August 15, before the press conference, delegation 
members met with the UNDP and local donor community to share 
their impressions and analysis of the week-long mission.  The 
credibility of Morocco,s election will rest on the rate of 
voter participation and this is understood across the board, 
they said.  Despite allegations of vote buying and other 
improper campaigning techniques, the team does not anticipate 
flagrant irregularities on Election Day.  The delegation also 
stressed the important role that political party observers 
play in the overall credibility of elections, and reported 
that most major parties have structures in place to cover a 
large percentage of the county's polling stations.  In total, 
there will be over 35,000 polling stations throughout Morocco 
on September 7. 
 
¶7.  (U) Our German colleagues told the meeting that the 
Democracy Reporting International (DRI) project discussed 
reftel has been fully supported and funded by the German 
Foreign Ministry.  At the moment it appears that DRI, in 
close coordination with NDI, will send out 2 experts from 
September 1-14 to participate in the monitoring of the vote 
count and publication of results.  UNDP also reports that it 
has received authorization to fund CCDH's evaluation 
component.  In addition to the Canadians, Dutch, and Irish, 
Japan has also confirmed their intention to contribute to the 
NDI international election observation mission, which will 
visit Morocco from 3-10 September at the invitation of the 
CCDH.  NDI is still working on its roster of potential 
observers, but it already has technical staff in place 
preparing for the logistics and other aspects of observer 
deployment. 
 
¶8.  (U) On August 10, following our initial contact with the 
assessment mission, Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
Staffer Perry Cammack and Polcouns heard from MOI Director of 
Elections Hassan Aghmari that a decree or other formal 
published instructions allowing election observers to enter 
polling and counting stations was not needed, nor would it be 
legal.  In this instance, the King, in his statutory role as 
Head of State, empowered the CCDH to coordinate monitoring 
and set procedures and rules.  He tasked the MOI with 
implementing the CCDH's instructions - which Aghmari said it 
has done.  Despite the absence of written permission, 
monitors would experience no obstacles, he said.  All members 
and levels of the electoral system have received explicit 
instructions from the MOI and will cooperate with the 
observation effort.  As an added measure, the MOI has set up 
a hotline for people to report voting issues.  Unlike 
elections in Morocco's not-to-distant past, the MOI is no 
longer an "active participant," but an impartial facilitator. 
 We nevertheless urged MOI to publish or provide the 
observers/CCDH with some written authorization or at least a 
copy of its written instructions to election officials. 
 
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Comment 
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¶9.  (SBU) Press coverage to date has cast the assessment 
team's visit and report in a positive light, reflecting the 
common view we hear from contacts around the country that 
international observers are welcomed and favorable for 
Morocco,s international image.  Despite initial 
foot-dragging by the MOI, the ease in which the assessment 
mission operated during its week-long mission appears to bode 
well for the international observation mission.  End Comment. 
 
 
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RILEY