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PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRB #0183 0590723
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280723Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8199
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4699
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3533
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5924
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3668
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4945
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0273
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 9534
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0785

UNCLAS RABAT 000183 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO OVIP MO
SUBJECT: PRESS COVERAGE OF NEA A/S WELCH'S VISIT 
 
¶1.  NEA A/S Welch's remarks to the press following his meeting with 
King Mohammed VI generated substantial positive local broadcast and 
print media coverage.  Semi-private "2M" and government-run "SNRT" 
television both ran lengthy lead stories during their prime-time 
French- and Arabic-language news broadcasts on the night of February 
25, with a combined air-time of more than 16 minutes of reporting. 
"SNRT" ran the entirety of A/S Welch's comments to the press twice, 
once during prime time and again at 23:00.  Nearly every Moroccan 
daily also covered the event (as did Asharq al-Awsat), mostly by 
publishing an article from the government wire service MAP on page 
one. 
 
¶2.  The Moroccan press focused principally on A/S Welch's comments 
on Western Sahara, with most printing the entirety of his remarks. 
His comment that "the Moroccan proposal offers a new possibility and 
has led to these rounds of negotiations" were widely interpreted as 
indicating -- in the words of pro-Palace daily "Le Matin" -- 
"renewed U.S. support" to the Moroccan autonomy proposal.  The 
Moroccan press also highlighted A/S Welch's comments about the need 
to establish "a strong and positive relationship between Morocco and 
Algeria."  The press reported that A/S Welch had discussed with the 
King, President Bush's desire to see productive talks on the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year, saying: "His Majesty 
expressed to me the concern and support of the Kingdom of Morocco 
for the Palestinian people, but also to see a better future for both 
sides by a negotiated outcome that has a two-state solution as its 
product."  Finally, the press widely quoted A/S Welch as saying: 
"Morocco and the United States, broadly speaking, share a strategic 
vision of peace and stability, prosperity and freedom throughout the 
area.  His Majesty is a visionary leader in this region and a strong 
supporter of peace."  Television coverage also reported that A/S 
Welch had discussed Lebanon, Iraq and Iran with the king. 
Concerning the establishment of AFRICOM, A/S Welch explained that 
there had been many misunderstandings about U.S. intentions, 
stressing that the United States had no intention to base additional 
American troops on the African continent. 
 
¶3.  Among the few newspapers that went beyond the MAP story, 
independent daily Le Soir Echos reported that A/S Welch's private 
talks focused on pushing forward Western Sahara negotiations and 
promoting Moroccan-Algerian security cooperation; Le Soir was the 
only daily to report that A/S Welch had met with Moroccan security 
officials during his visit.  Independent daily Al Massae, for its 
part, opined that, "following the negative UNSYG report on the 
progress of negotiations between Morocco and the POLISARIO on the 
Sahara, it seems that the U.S. is intending again to play the role 
of mediator between Morocco and Algeria, to push forward the 
negotiations process to find a solution to the Sahara issue."  The 
IO has received other calls from the press inquiring as to whether 
A/S Welch's visit indicates a USG intention to play a greater 
mediating role. 
 
Riley