VZCZCXRO3684
PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHRB #0372 1201707
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301707Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0060
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4981
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 0001
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0119
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0493
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0435
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 0163
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0086
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0073
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0262
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0064
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0044
RUEHWD/AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 0012
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4579
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 0009
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS RABAT 000372 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/OMC - D WARNER-KRAMER 
COMMERCE FOR NOAA/NMFS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS SENV ETRD AORC FAO MO
SUBJECT: PORT STATES AGREEMENT - MOROCCO WILLING TO DISCUSS 
 
REF: STATE 41661 
 
¶1. (SBU) Econoff conveyed reftel points on the Port States 
Agreement on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) 
Fishing on April 30 to Director of Maritime Fisheries Zakia 
Driouiche and Head of the Service of Control and Inspection 
of Fishing Vessels Mohammed Benbari of Morocco's Department 
of Maritime Fisheries.  Benbari, who will represent Morocco 
at the May 4-7 Rome consultations, told Econoff that he 
assesed from prior discussions that developing countries fear 
that developed countries have ulterior motives in seeking to 
conclude the agreement outside the FAO Constitutional 
framework.  "We were all surprised" by the proposal that it 
be removed from that framework, he said. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) After Econoff elaborated USG concerns about 
following the Article XIV framework, Driouiche recommended 
that the U.S. and other developed countries make a 
"declaration" to other countries setting out our commitments 
for assistance, as well as reviewing the pros and cons of the 
two options and elaborating more clearly our rationale for 
the proposed structure of the agreement.  Developing 
countries like Morocco, she stated, do not have the resources 
available to put in place all the measures required by the 
draft agreement, and will hesitate to sign on to a 
stand-alone pact without commitments from developed countries 
to help finance the needed measures. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Benbari observed that developing countries are more 
comfortable with an agreement under the FAO constitution, as 
they expect that the formulas exempting the poorest states 
from contributions under the FAO would be replicated for any 
measures required by the new agreement.  They would be 
hesitant to accept an agreement outside of the FAO 
constitutional process absent a declaration of the 
responsibilities of each state to provide funds, he 
predicted.  Morocco will "do our part and try to understand 
the U.S. perpsective," Driouiche promised. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment: Although the Moroccan representatives 
emphasized their "surpise" at the proposal to take the 
agreement out of the FAO context, for now they appear to be 
open to the possibility.  Post recommends that USG 
representatives at the Rome consultations reach out to 
Benbari with more details on how the agreement, and 
signatories to it, will benefit under our proposal.  Morocco 
may be willing to mediate with countries who are less willing 
at first to accept our proposal.  Any commitments the U.S. or 
other developing countries can make now to technical 
assistance in implementing the agreement will go a long way 
to winning acceptance. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
***************************************** 
 
Jackson