VZCZCXRO0893
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHRB #0236/01 0851503
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261503Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9839
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4539

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 000236 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR S/P, R, NEA, NEA/MAG, NEA/PI AND NEA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KMPI KDEM XF MO
SUBJECT: AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE THE U.S.-MOROCCO 
PARTNERSHIP AND INCREASE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING 
 
REF: STATE 021427 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  A group of young Moroccan experts told 
Charge and S/P staff member Behrman that the Obama 
Administration offers an opportunity to revitalize the 
U.S.-Moroccan partnership.  Morocco is a strategic partner 
and its progress on human rights and democracy benefits U.S. 
interests.  They expressed hope that President Obama would be 
the first U.S. President to make a state visit to the 
Kingdom.  Radicalization is Morocco's greatest challenge, 
they said, and encouraged the U.S. to craft a policy toward 
the North Africa countries distinct from the greater 
Arab/Muslim world.  Rebranding the Middle East Partnership 
Initiative (MEPI) as the American Partnership Initiative 
would be an effective way of eliminating some ill will 
directed toward the program in Morocco and the region, while 
maintaining its many benefits.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) On March 18, the Charge and A/DCM hosted seven mostly 
young leaders representing government, non-governmental 
organizations, think tanks, and business groups for a dinner 
with S/P staff member Greg Behrman. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Morocco on Irreversible Path of Reform 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) "We are on an irreversible path to democracy.  We 
don't need someone to assist us.  We have implemented bigger 
and better reforms than our neighbors, and we need a 
partnership based on equality," emphasized Mohamed Benhammou, 
Chairman of the Moroccan Center for Strategic Studies, and 
sole elder among the group.  Underlining the strategic 
importance of Morocco as the crossroads of Africa and Europe, 
its leadership in the Arab world, and progress in human 
rights and democracy, the other participants echoed this hope 
that the U.S. would forge a deeper partnership with Morocco. 
"We need more than a Free Trade Agreement," Abdelouahed 
Driouche, Administrative Advisor at the Chamber of 
Representatives, insisted.  Sherif Belkhayat of Capital 
Business Consulting expressed a hope for greater business 
cooperation between the U.S. and Morocco, noting that 
Morocco's geographical location could make it a hub for 
investors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Obama Would Be First President to Make State Visit 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) U.S. policy should reinforce Morocco's moves toward 
democracy, women's rights, and human rights, the participants 
agreed.  Moroccans would welcome a visit by President Obama 
with the goal of consolidating this partnership, they said, 
adding that there has not been an official presidential visit 
to Morocco since President Roosevelt came to meet Churchill 
in Casablanca during World War II. (Note: They excluded 
President Clinton's attendance at the funeral of King Hassan 
II in 1999.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Yasmina Serhouny, Executive Director of the focus 
group organization People's Mirror (who wears a headscarf), 
said she would be "devastated" if President Obama went to 
Saudi Arabia because "the women there are all covered up." 
Morocco is generally moving forward on reforms, she asserted, 
and because of this remains a symbol of hope and change for 
North Africa and the Middle East, and the best interlocutor 
for the United States. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Radicalization Is Morocco's Greatest Challenge 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Calling radicalization the most pressing challenge 
facing Morocco today, participants emphasized the need for 
the United States to provide greater support to moderate 
Islamic voices.  Any assistance should be provided 
indirectly, they stressed, to avoid the appearance of 
meddling.  Noting the massive demographic shift from rural to 
urban centers over the last 50 years, the four-fold increase 
in Morocco's population, the decrease in the average age of 
the population, and the rapidity with which reforms are being 
implemented, participants observed that radical Islamic 
teachings may hold appeal for those whose sense of identity 
is adrift.  "We have a very big problem with Al Jazeera," 
said Driouche.  "We need something like Al Jazeera that 
emphasizes moderation and that shows the diversity of 
Moroccan identity, which includes Arabs, Berbers, Jews, 
Christians, and Muslims," he stated.  (Note: Al Jazeera is 
 
RABAT 00000236  002 OF 002 
 
 
the consensus source of news in Morocco, but is perceived as 
having a political, fundamentalist agenda.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Serhouny observed that youth lack ideological 
choices in Moroccan politics and are frustrated by having to 
choose between the stale establishment and Islamists.  As a 
result, voter turnout is low.  "When I think that one day the 
ability to protest through blank ballots (by not voting) may 
no longer be satisfying to them, I get scared," she said. 
Siham El Figuigi, formerly with the American Bar Association 
(ABA) but now working for the British Embassy, agreed, 
asserting that unless something is done "to reduce the 
tension felt by the youth" there is a huge risk of 
polarization between the moderates and the radicals.  "Even 
ordinary citizens can become radical and violent," she 
emphasized. 
 
------------------ 
Many Muslim Worlds 
------------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Bemoaning what they called a lack of U.S. strategy 
toward North Africa, participants complained that when it 
comes to policy, the only statements on Morocco come in the 
form of the human rights report.  The new administration has 
a chance to correct this, they said, and urged policy-makers 
to refrain from viewing the "Muslim world" as a monolith 
whose problems can be solved by the same blanket policy. 
There are "many Muslim worlds" from Morocco to Pakistan and 
each region has its own unique challenges.  Crafting policy 
toward distinct Muslim regions, such as North Africa or the 
Gulf, would be much more effective and allow the U.S. to 
better address common trans-national challenges such as 
terrorism, they agreed. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
U.S. Policy toward Israel Impacts Morocco 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) U.S. policy toward Israel has a tremendous impact 
beyond Israel's borders, the participants observed.  "Events 
in Palestine impact all aspects of life here and lead to an 
anti-U.S. reaction in Morocco, North Africa, and the Middle 
East," stated Youssef El Falah, Deputy Director of the 
American Bar Association,s (ABA's) Morocco office. 
Discussing Middle East policies more seriously with Morocco 
could be another aspect of a more robust U.S.-Morocco 
partnership, attendees opined. 
 
---------------------- 
A Fresh Start for MEPI 
---------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Participants agreed that the Middle East 
Partnership Initiative (MEPI) has been useful and has 
successfully targeted critical areas of reform.  However, 
they noted that from the Moroccan perspective, MEPI needs a 
"make-over."  "We do not consider ourselves part of the 
Middle East," El Figuigi asserted, emphasizing that lumping 
Morocco into the Middle East was a gross oversimplification. 
Linking the program by name to unpopular USG policies in the 
Middle East was counterproductive, she added.  Other 
participants agreed that MEPI is also viewed by many as part 
of a crusade by the U.S. Government to develop "backwards 
Arabs."  They suggested underlining that these funds come 
from the American people, not the U.S. Government. 
Rebranding MEPI as the "American Partnership Initiative" 
would eliminate these negative connotations and give what is 
otherwise a positive program a fresh start. 
 
¶11.  (U) S/P member Behrman did not have an opportunity to 
review this message before he departed. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
***************************************** 
 
Jackson