VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0042 0711301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121301Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8320
INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8546
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0393
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0693

UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000042 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR 
USDOC FOR MAC/ANESA 
USDOC FOR ITA/ANESA RD/CREED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS CMGT ASEC EINV ETRD EFIN PGOV MO
 
SUBJECT: PDAS KIRBY ADDRESSES FRUSTRATIONS OF MOROCCO'S BUSINESS 
COMMUNITY 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Moroccan-American Chamber of Commerce in 
Morocco (AmCham) hosted a business lunch March 2 for PDAS Michael 
Kirby of the Bureau of Consular Affairs.  The event was attended by 
56 business men and women representing numerous industry sectors. 
AmCham Board Members, the Consul General, and the Senior Commercial 
Officer also participated in the lunch, which was covered 
extensively in the local press.  The business community used the 
forum to vent their frustrations with long delays and impersonal 
treatment by U.S. officials at ports of entry.  PDAS Kirby stressed 
that the U.S. believes in treating individuals with dignity and 
noted that he and Assistant Secretary Jacobs were discussing issues 
such as the ones raised by the group at high levels in Washington. 
End Summary. 
¶2. (SBU) PDAS Kirby (in Casablanca to participate in a regional 
Consular Leadership Development Course) began with a general 
overview of the Bureau of Consular Affairs' efforts to improve 
handling of business visa requests around the world.  He described 
CA's use of IT to upgrade and streamline the processing of visa 
requests.  He stressed the necessity of high-quality visa interview 
and of shortening the waiting period for clearances.  He also noted 
that this needed to be balanced with keeping out individuals 
threatening to U.S. national security.  He noted the important 
contributions that trade and investment make to Morocco's and the 
U.S. economy and the key element that travel by Moroccans to the 
U.S. made to enhancing economic ties. 
¶3. (SBU) During the question and answer period, several senior 
company executives representing U.S. firms in Morocco raised serious 
concerns about exceedingly long delays at the port of entry which 
often caused missed connecting flights, without explanation for the 
hold up, and involved highly personal questioning or requests for 
passwords to access personal computers.  Others mentioned the 
inconsistent guidance given to travelers by immigration officials 
and airlines concerning NSEERS exit registration processing and 
penalties. 
¶4. (SBU) PDAS Kirby noted that in many instances, such additional 
processing at the port of entry was justified.  He stated that the 
U.S. believes in treating individuals with dignity.  He also said 
that he and Assistant Secretary Jacobs were discussing issues such 
as these at high levels in Washington. 
¶5. (SBU)  The participants noted that the U.S. is one of the few 
countries that issues tourist and business visas to Moroccans for 10 
years.  PDAS Kirby added that unlike many other countries, the U.S. 
does not require visitors to register once they have been admitted. 
Thus, while the entry process might take longer than for travel to 
other destinations, it is still a single process and does not 
require multiple steps.  One participant countered that when you 
have countries like Turkey, to which Moroccans can travel without a 
visa, that are in close proximity and ready to roll out the red 
carpet to do business, it creates much greater incentives to conduct 
business with them rather than with potential prospects in the U.S. 
PDAS Kirby responded that each country's immigration system is based 
on its needs and its culture and that ours reflects who we are.  He 
stressed that we want Moroccans to visit the U.S. and to feel 
welcome in our country. 
¶6. (SBU) The discussion moved beyond personal accounts and touched 
on ways to remove obstacles to bilateral business.   The CG 
recounted her experience with the business community in India where 
a bilateral, high-level business committee had very successfully 
identified six concrete ways to remove objectives to bilateral 
trade.  The group thought this initiative should be replicated with 
representatives from the Moroccan and U.S. business communities. 
¶7. (SBU) Another participant recommended that the AmCham send a 
delegation comprised of business representatives to Washington to 
take the message to the White House and to Congress about the need 
to revise and improve entry and exit procedures.  PDAS Kirby noted 
that AmChams around the world play an important role in promoting 
U.S. exports and that appropriately coordinated suggestions on how 
to encourage U.S. trade could be useful, but he stopped short of 
making any comment on the efficacy of any message. 
¶8.  PDAS Kirby cleared this cable. 
MILLARD