VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0272 0161202
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161202Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7941
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8190

UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000272 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
USDOC FOR HQ/USFCS/USDOC/CS DG ISRAEL HERNANDEZ 
SECSTATE FOR MOROCCO DESK OFFICER RANDAL KAAILAU 
USDOC FOR 3131/USFCS/OIO/RD/ANESA/GLOOSE/GLITMAN/ STAUHIDI, HOLLY 
VINEYARD/MAC/ITA/USDOC, MICHELLE ONEILL/OUS/ITA USDOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ECON ETRD BMGT PREL MO
SUBJECT: U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE DIRECTOR GENERAL ISRAEL HERNANDEZ 
VISITS MOROCCO 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: Director General and Assistant Secretary for Trade 
Promotion Israel Hernandez visited Morocco December 5-7 to reinforce 
the important friendship and bilateral trade relationship between 
the U.S. and Morocco.  He met separately with Minister of Industry, 
Commerce and New Technologies Ahmed Chami, Customs Director General 
Abdellatif Zaghnoun, and Minister of Foreign Trade Abdellatif 
Mazouz.  He also held several press interviews with local and 
regional media, including a live interview with Al Jazeera, which 
reaches an average of 40 million viewers around the world; the 
interviews were also covered by the local broadcast and print press. 
 The Director General was accompanied by Special Assistant Aamir 
Hanif.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During his meeting with Ahmed Chami, Minister of Industry, 
Commerce and New Technologies, the Director General highlighted his 
belief that the dynamic change that is transforming Morocco is 
creating opportunities for international business and investment. 
Minister Chami agreed, adding that future change in Morocco will be 
even more dramatic in the coming years due to Morocco's adherence to 
open markets and major reforms.  DG Hernandez referred to the 
U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement as the foundation and platform for 
growth, and that the primary purpose of his visit was to support 
this key bilateral agreement.  Further discussion focused on 
education and the need to raise the literacy rate in Morocco, on 
building investment, and engaging more small and medium sized 
enterprises.  The Minister added that the new Tangier Med port, 
which is planned to become the largest port in the Mediterranean, 
will contribute to an expansion of trade, with the goal of Morocco 
becoming a world transshipment hub similar to Singapore.  DG 
Hernandez reminded the Minister of the upcoming trade and investment 
conference that will be co-chaired by the Secretary of Commerce in 
¶2008. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Minister Chami suggested that the U.S. should continue 
building its image in the Middle East and North Africa region, while 
continuing to advance the peace process in the Middle East.  DG 
Hernandez responded that the Annapolis conference was a very 
positive step and mentioned that the President was planning a visit 
to the Middle East in the near future. 
 
¶4.  (U) In his meeting with DG Hernandez, the Director General of 
Moroccan Customs, Abdellatif Zaghnoun, highlighted his agency's 
extensive efforts to ensure smooth processing of legal goods through 
Moroccan borders, enforcement of safety and security of commerce, 
and his agency's efforts to fight smuggling.  DG Zaghnoun noted 
numerous measures already taken and underscored the important 
contribution of U.S. customs training in the development of Moroccan 
customs' expertise.  DG Zaghnoun welcomed continued U.S.-Moroccan 
customs collaboration and solicited information on any new 
technologies available that might support Moroccan efforts. 
 
¶5.  (U) A live interview on Al Jazeera's Rabat-based Maghreb news 
bulletin (broadcast daily at 2200 GMT) was the highlight of numerous 
outreach events.  DG Hernandez also conducted interviews that were 
broadcast by SNRT television -- Morocco's most-watched local 
television station -- during its prime-time Arabic-language news 
broadcast, as well as by SNRT's radio affiliate.  Three local 
newspapers, including the largest circulation French-language daily, 
also printed excerpts of their interviews with DG Hernandez.  During 
these interviews, DG Hernandez underscored the excellent 
relationship between the U.S. and Morocco, while emphasizing 
opportunities for increased bilateral trade and investment, and 
expressing support for Moroccan reform efforts. 
 
GREEENE