VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0019 0081810
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081810Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7984

UNCLAS RABAT 000019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASCH AMGT MO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR,S JANUARY 3 MEETING WITH FOREIGN 
MINISTER ON THE STATUS OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOLS 
 
 
¶1.  (U) In a wide-ranging meeting on January 3, the 
Ambassador discussed the status of the American schools in 
Morocco with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation 
Taieb Fassi Fihri and Director of American Affairs Abdallah 
Salah Eddine Tazi.  The Ambassador noted that the status and 
tax situation of the schools remained a great concern. 
Expressing surprise, Fassi Fihri said that he thought the 
problem had been resolved after their exchange of telephone 
calls in December.  The Ambassador responded that nothing has 
been resolved by the tax authorities, seizure of more than 
half of the Casablanca American School,s (CAS,s) liquid 
assets.  The Rabat American School (RAS), which does not 
possess anything like CAS,s reserves, does not yet know how 
much it may need to pay.  The Ambassador warned that we must 
move beyond our unwritten agreement and beyond a situation in 
which the schools are being held hostage because more 
teachers will choose not to renew their contracts; parents 
will grow concerned; tuition will rise; and the schools will 
cease to be viable. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Somewhat defensive, Fassi Fihri said the USG had 
refused an agreement for a long time.  However, he agreed to 
speak with the Ministers of National Education and Finance to 
move ahead with a Moroccan coordinated reaction to our August 
proposal.  He further committed to manage the issue in a way 
that would preserve the schools while securing tax revenue 
from them. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
***************************************** 
 
Riley