VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0843/01 2871750
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141750Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0737
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 5182
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS RABAT 000843 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEFENSE FOR OSD - DASD HUDDLESTON 
STATE FOR PM, NEA/RA AND NEA/MAG 
PARIS PLS PASS TO DASD HUDDLESTON 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MCAP OVIP PGOV PHUM PREL MO
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF 
DEFENSE FOR AFRICA HUDDLESTON 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Ambassador Huddleston and Admiral 
Moeller, we welcome you to Morocco.  Morocco has been an 
exemplary partner in the struggle against terrorism, and our 
military and political cooperation is growing.  As a result, 
Morocco has been designated a Major non-NATO Ally.  Morocco 
serves as a regional model for economic change and democratic 
reform; yet it faces significant external and internal 
challenges, which U.S. assistance attempts to ameliorate. 
While Morocco's principal foreign tie is with Europe and it 
has advanced status with the European Union (EU), Morocco is 
one of our strongest allies in the Broader Middle East and 
North Africa (BMENA) region.  Its top priority is U.S. 
support for its position on the Western Sahara territorial 
dispute and for integration in North Africa.  End summary. 
 
------------ 
Introduction 
------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Morocco is a country in the throes, albeit 
unevenly, of change and reform.  Economic growth has averaged 
about six percent per year; and investment, tourism and 
remittances have boomed, although they have been slowed by 
the global financial crisis.  Slums are coming down, and, 
according to official statistics, so is unemployment. 
Freedom of the press has expanded to a level not seen here 
before and beyond the rest of the region, but there are still 
restrictions.  Those who challenge them can suffer heavy 
fines, libel judgments, and, more rarely, jail.  Political 
freedoms have grown as well, although they remain constrained 
by a system in which Parliament lacks much power.  King 
Mohammed VI has stressed the need for judicial reform to 
revise a system that is widely seen as corrupt and 
inefficient.  Additional reforms could strengthen Morocco's 
democracy, but, with stability a priority, it could take 
decades. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Mission strategic goals are economic growth and 
reform, countering terrorism, promoting U.S.-Moroccan 
partnership, enhancing democracy and governance, and 
resolving regional conflicts while maintaining close 
strategic cooperation.  Military-to-military engagement 
contributes to advancing these goals.  We believe expanding 
Morocco,s economic base will do as much to address popular 
dissatisfaction with the political system as will 
strengthening democratic institutions.  The purchase of F-16 
and T-6 aircraft, and the enhanced engagement they will 
trigger, can promote modernization in a military already 
fully under civilian control.  U.S. military engagement 
focused on professional training and education programs helps 
counterterrorism effort.  The robust interaction between our 
two militaries is an important example of institution 
building that is a centerpiece of our relationship.  The 
reinforcement of the Moroccan military helps maintain 
regional stability in a context of even greater Algerian 
modernization expenditure.  It assures the Government of 
Morocco that it is a strong, long-term Major non-NATO Ally, 
and it facilitates U.S. regional objectives not only in 
Africa but in the Middle East. 
 
------------------- 
Military Engagement 
------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Moroccan military has undertaken a sweeping 
effort to modernize a military force that fields 
predominantly Korean and Vietnam War era equipment.  While 
the F-16 and T-6 sales form the vast bulk of the dollar 
figure for this modernization, the total Foreign Military 
Sales and Foreign Military Financing portfolio totals some 
120 cases in excess of USD 3 billion.  The list of pending or 
prospective sales includes 200 M1A1 main battle tanks; CH-47D 
and SH-60 rotary wing aircraft; Gulfstream and Beechcraft 
operational/Distinguished Visitor (DV) support aircraft; 
Hawk, Chaparral and Stinger anti-aircraft systems; and 
solicitations for surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft 
and unmanned aerial vehicles.  Morocco is the second largest 
recipient of excess defense articles (EDA) from the U.S. 
These sales and transfers permit the Moroccan military both 
to hold its position as a regional power and be able to 
participate as a coalition partner.  They further solidify 
the substantial U.S. inclination by the Moroccan military, 
although there are competitors that can dramatically underbid 
U.S. offerings, and Morocco does not limit itself to U.S. 
 
equipment. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Military modernization further strengthens the 
Moroccan military by continuing and expanding exposure to 
U.S. doctrine, tactics, techniques, procedures and personnel. 
 The expanded requirement to train operators and maintainers 
for the F-16 and T-6 aircraft alone will practically equal 
the current annual training allocation for all Moroccan 
personnel across all the services and government 
organizations.  Moreover, the integration of a fourth 
generation fighter into the Royal Moroccan Air Force will 
stimulate a modernization of the full-spectrum approach to 
operating and sustaining such aircraft, from facilities to 
logistics to aerial employment to command and control.  This 
provides an unparalleled opportunity to shape our engagement 
with the Royal Air Force.  A superb boost this year is the 
selection of Morocco to participate in the CSAF Counterpart 
Visit program, as well as Morocco,s decision to send an 
observer to AMC,s Airlift Rodeo.  These engagement 
activities add to a robust exercise program that includes 
AFRICAN LION, PHOENIX EXPRESS, and FLINTLOCK, in addition to 
at least two annual JCETs.  The Royal Moroccan Air Force has 
also requested the revival of MAJESTIC EAGLE, an annual air 
exercise that the U.S. suspended due to OIF and OEF 
commitments in 2003. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The GOM has been formally invited to participate in 
the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI).  Under the 
GPOI program, the U.S. intends to provide peace operations 
training and other support to the Moroccan military so that 
it can continue to develop and sustain peace operations 
capacity.  Africa Command proposed Morocco as a potential 
GPOI partner for FY 2009 during the fall of 2008 and the GPOI 
Coordinating Committee agreed to that proposal in the spring 
of 2009.  The current plan for Morocco is to provide training 
and facilities refurbishment to a peace operations training 
center in Morocco.  In order to ensure long-term 
sustainability, the GPOI program incorporates 
train-the-trainer elements into its training events.  The 
Mission is working with the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Cooperation, which will coordinate Morocco,s 
GPOI request, to finalize the program. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The Embassy is currently engaged in negotiations 
with the GOM on a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), and 
Inspector General of the Armed Forces General (CHOD) Bennani 
has indicated interest in signing the Acquisition and Cross 
Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with the USG.  However, the 
negotiations over the SOFA have been ongoing for over a year, 
and the ACSA signature has been stalled for months; we have 
most recently heard the draft is under review by the 
military.  The Moroccans, who hosted U.S. bases throughout 
the Cold War, may not be convinced a full-fledged SOFA is 
needed.  Unfounded rumors of prospective U.S. basing in 
connection with Africa Command have been publicly 
controversial here.  Nonetheless, both the SOFA and ACSA 
would benefit the Moroccan armed forces, and your support for 
these two efforts would be appreciated. 
 
--------------- 
External Issues 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Troubles with Algeria:  The Moroccan relationship 
with Algeria is difficult, and the border between the two 
countries was closed by Algeria and remains closed.  While 
the King and other GOM officials have publicly proposed 
opening the border and upgrading bilateral relations between 
the two countries, their entreaties have been repeatedly 
rebuffed.  The Government of Algeria has linked progress on 
the border to all issues, particularly the Western Sahara. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Western Sahara:  Moroccan foreign policy is 
dominated by defending and seeking international recognition 
of its sovereignty claims over Western Sahara.  The issue 
remains the most visible source of tension with Algeria, 
which has historically supported the POLISARIO's quest for 
independence by way of a UN-sponsored referendum.  The issue 
led Morocco to leave the African Union and has been an 
obstacle to regional integration through the Arab Maghreb 
Union.  In April 2007, Morocco proposed a new autonomy plan 
for Western Sahara, and a series of UN-sponsored negotiations 
with the POLISARIO began in Manhasset, New York.  The 
Moroccan proposal, deemed "serious and credible" by the USG, 
 
would provide Sahrawis, the indigenous people of Western 
Sahara, autonomy in administering local affairs while 
respecting Moroccan sovereignty over the territory.  There 
have been four rounds of formal talks and one informal round 
near Vienna, Austria, in August. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Western Sahara Continued:  Following the 
controversial lapsing of the contract of the former UN 
Secretary General's Personal Envoy, the UN selected retired 
U.S. Ambassador Christopher Ross to be the new Personal 
Envoy, and he made his first visit to the region in February. 
 While the informal talks produced no breakthroughs, the 
parties agreed to continue negotiations in an 
as-yet-to-be-determined format and location. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Western Sahara Continued:  Western Sahara 
experienced gross violations of human rights from 1975 until 
the end of King Hassan II,s regime, and repression 
intensified after the short-lived Sahrawi uprising of 2005. 
Since late 2006, Morocco has slowly improved the human rights 
situation in the territory.  Arbitrary arrests have sharply 
diminished and beatings and physical abuse by security forces 
have all but disappeared.  Even dissenters now can travel 
freely.  They cannot, however, publish or speak publicly in 
support of independence or a vote on self-determination.  In 
2008, known abusers were transferred, further easing the 
situation.  However, we saw an uptick in alleged abuses in 
early 2009.   The Embassy maintains a Human Rights Dialogue 
with the Moroccan government in order to address these 
issues. 
 
--------------- 
Internal Issues 
--------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Current Government:  Prime Minister Abbas El 
Fassi's government, formed after the September 2007 
legislative elections, is currently built on a fragile 
coalition.  There has been periodic speculation that it might 
not last for the full five-year mandate.  El Fassi's 
government, filled with young technocrats from within and 
outside his Istiqlal (Independence) party, has performed 
better than many expected, however, and it now looks capable 
of a full term.  El Fassi has participated extensively in 
international events and diplomacy.  Internal democracy is 
growing within political parties.  A political formation 
founded by Fouad Ali El Himma, an intimate of the King, has 
evolved into a new Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) 
by grouping several smaller parties.  It now constitutes the 
largest political bloc in Parliament, and could lead should 
the current coalition falter.  We currently see no prospect 
for a significant shift in Morocco's foreign and security 
policies.  However, neither Parliament nor the Prime Minister 
has much say in these issues, which are managed by the Throne 
directly with concerned ministries. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Parliamentary Reform:  Morocco's political parties 
and the bicameral parliament are weak and structurally 
hamstrung from taking legislative initiatives or strongly 
articulating dissent.  The Parliament provides no effective 
check on the monarchy or Government.  Changing the 
Constitution would be necessary in order to change the power 
imbalance and institute formal democracy, but both Parliament 
and parties will have to improve their capacity and 
performance first.  Nonetheless, both parties and Parliament 
have made some technical improvements, largely thanks to 
USG-funded programs from the National Democratic Institute 
(NDI) and the State University of New York (SUNY), which have 
modestly improved the body's administrative capacity.  These 
include establishment of a budget analysis office, a verbatim 
transcription service, and a consistent forum for training 
and debate among parliamentary members and staff. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Parliamentary Reform Continued:  Although the 
September 2007 parliamentary elections were the most 
transparent in the country's history, record low 
participation (37 percent of registered voters) reflects the 
lack of voter confidence in the institution.  The State 
Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funded 
NDI to run the first ever international election observation 
in Morocco.  MEPI also supported an ambitious training 
program for women running for municipal councils in June 
after a quota was established reserving 12 percent of the 
seats for women.  Voter turnout in the June municipal 
 
elections was approximately 54 percent, and women captured 
nearly 13 percent of the seats, exceeding the number reserved 
for them. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Human Rights and Reform:  King Mohammed VI has 
embarked on an ambitious and continuous program of human 
rights reforms that includes the Arab world's first truth 
commission, a revised Family Code, and growing governmental 
transparency and accountability.  Although Morocco is a 
paragon of reform in the region, the reforms are still not 
deeply rooted in law or Constitution and could be rolled 
back.  Continued support and encouragement from partners like 
the United States and Europe are essential. 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Religious Freedom:  The Moroccan Constitution 
provides for the freedom to practice one's religion, although 
Islam is the official state religion.  The GOM prohibits the 
distribution of non-Muslim religious materials and bans all 
proselytizing, but tolerates several small religious 
minorities.  It also occasionally restricts Islamic 
organizations whose activities have exceeded the bounds of 
"acceptable religious practice" and become political in 
nature, lately targeting Shi,a.  Morocco has become 
protective of and even positive toward the tiny remnant of 
its once substantial Jewish minority. 
 
¶17.  (SBU) Counterterrorism:  The terrorist threat in Morocco 
emanates especially from small grassroots radical Islamic 
cells, which have shown some capacity to attack.  In 2008, 
security forces disrupted six terrorist and foreign fighter 
cells, prosecuting 100 people.  So far this year, five cells 
have been disrupted, including one group of 24 who were 
detained in September.  The bigest threat is that attacks 
could deter tourism, an important component of the economy. 
The GOM's implementation of a comprehensive counterterrorism 
strategy emphasizing vigilant security measures, 
counter-radicalization policies, and robust international 
cooperation has been largely successful in containing the 
threat.  Economic disruption, whether from attacks or the 
global economic crisis, remains the principal threat to 
stability here, but most observers believe Morocco will 
manage, unless there is catastrophic collapse. 
 
¶18.  (SBU) Counterterrorism Continued:  In early-October, a 
multi-agency Embassy team participated in two days of 
wide-ranging, frank discussions with representatives of the 
Moroccan Ministry of the Interior.  The discussions addressed 
issues including counterterrorism efforts, trafficking in 
persons, illegal migration, drug 
trafficking/counternarcotics, regional threats and stability, 
human rights, and assistance/development efforts.  Designed 
as a strategy session to share information and lay the 
groundwork for future engagement, both sides agreed that the 
talks were useful and could lead to substantive programmatic 
and other collaboration. 
 
¶19.  (SBU) Counterterrorism Continued:  Under the King who as 
"Commander of the Faithful" leads Moroccan Muslims and Jews, 
Morocco has standardized religious doctrine, consolidated 
control over religious schools, and sent specially trained 
imams to Europe to preach moderate messages to the Moroccan 
diaspora.  The vast majority of Morocco's population rejects 
Salafist and Wahhabist approaches to Islam and so does not 
support terrorist groups. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Economics, Trade, and Assistance 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶20.  (SBU) The economy is relatively healthy, with growth 
expected to be above five percent this year, but marred by 
increasing disparities in wealth.  Since implementation of 
our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on January 1, 2006, bilateral 
commerce has more than doubled.  U.S. firms are increasing 
their investment in Morocco, seeing new markets develop as a 
result of the FTA.  The Department of Commerce's Commercial 
Law Development Program and the U.S. Trade and Development 
Agency conduct capacity building and technical assistance 
projects to assist Morocco to create an open and transparent 
trading environment and fully develop its trading potential. 
However, significant export growth to U.S. and other markets 
will also depend on Morocco's ability to capture a larger 
share of value added in its export products.  Targeted 
assistance programs from USAID and MEPI aim at improving 
 
Morocco's ability to produce and market its exports in key 
sectors. 
 
¶21.  (SBU) U.S. assistance to Morocco is focused on four 
priorities: economic growth, counterterrorism, democracy and 
governance, and supporting quality education.  In addition to 
a 2009 USAID budget of USD 18 million, it includes projects 
through the Millennium Challenge Corporation and MEPI. 
 
¶22.  (U) The Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a 
five-year, $697.5 million Millennium Challenge Account 
Compact with Morocco in 2007 to reduce poverty and increase 
economic growth.  The five-year clock started ticking on 
September 15, 2008, with the compact,s entry into force. 
The MCA will support five major projects selected for their 
potential to increase productivity and improve employment in 
high potential sectors of Morocco's economy:  Fruit Tree 
Productivity, Small Scale Fisheries, Crafts, Financial 
Services, and Enterprise Support. 
 
¶23.  (U) Morocco benefits from several MEPI programs, 
including country-specific projects and inclusion in regional 
efforts.  Some recent and ongoing programs include the 
program for women candidates, breast cancer awareness, 
support for civil society and youth organizations, developing 
freedom of expression via the Internet, supporting 
development of democratic leaders, technical assistance to 
meet environmental obligations under the FTA, political party 
training and capacity building, and the Financial Services 
Volunteer Corps.  Other USG-funded projects support 
anti-corruption efforts (with the American Bar Association) 
and prison reform to undermine the foundations of extremism. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
***************************************** 
 
Kaplan