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### Viewing cable 08ALGIERS261, ALGERIAN LEADERSHIP TOWS WESTERN SAHARA LINE WITH

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08ALGIERS261 | 2008-03-03 15:03 | 2010-12-03 21:09 | SECRET | Embassy Algiers

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    VZCZCXRO3499
    PP RUEHTRO
    DE RUEHAS #0261/01 0631552
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    P 031552Z MAR 08
    FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5393
    INFO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 8851
    RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2604
    RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 2226
    RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7079
    RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
    RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 6275
    RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 1514
    RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0463
    RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 3309
    RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

` `

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000261

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2023
    TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KDEM AG
    SUBJECT: ALGERIAN LEADERSHIP TOWS WESTERN SAHARA LINE WITH
    A/S WELCH

    REF: 07 ALGIERS 1069

    Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

    ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: In February 26 and 27 meetings with NEA
    Assistant Secretary C. David Welch, President Abdelaziz
    Bouteflika and Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem emphasized
    their familiar line on self-determination for Western Sahara,
    as well as the need to find a way out that would allow
    Algeria to "save face." Bouteflika said that relations with
    Morocco were "brotherly" and that Western Sahara was the only
    issue standing between them. Because the U.S. was unburdened
    by the colonial past of France in the region, Bouteflika felt
    it was ideally placed to serve as an informal referee in
    resolving the dispute. Although he said he understood
    Morocco felt threatened by the prospect of Western Saharan
    independence, Bouteflika said that Morocco only had itself to
    blame for the current situation, as it had proceeded in a
    "clumsy" manner. With a more "elegant" touch, he said,
    Morocco could have encouraged "a Puerto Rico" outcome, where
    Sahrawis would happily choose to remain a part of Morocco in
    some form. Welch underlined to the Algerian officials that
    the U.S. sought a practical approach that could help the
    current negotiations make progress, and the Moroccan autonomy
    proposal offered such a possibility. END SUMMARY.

    LOVE FOR BAKER PLAN DIES HARD
    -----------------------------

    ¶2. (S) In response to A/S Welch's assertion that the Moroccan
    plan served to move a frozen situation forward in the absence
    of any alternative, Bouteflika asserted that the plan of
    former Secretary of State James Baker was such an
    alternative. He told A/S Welch that if another option was
    necessary, "self-determination is that alternative" and the
    Baker Plan should be discussed. A/S Welch replied that the
    Baker plan is dead because it, too, failed to generate
    progress. In Bouteflika's view, Baker failed because it was
    not given a chance, and he blamed the U.S. for "not taking
    its UN Security Council responsibilities seriously."
    Bouteflika said the Moroccan plan offered less autonomy for
    Western Sahara than an Algerian province currently enjoys
    (reftel). He conceded that Algeria does have influence in
    Western Sahara, but swore he would not use it to violate what
    he sees as international law.

    MOROCCAN "CLUMSINESS" TO BLAME
    ------------------------------

    ¶3. (S) Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem told A/S Welch on
    February 26 that the stability of Morocco was in Algeria's
    interest, and that attempting "to transform an anti-colonial
    issue" was not the right path to take and was potentially
    destabilizing to the region. Bouteflika, meanwhile, said
    that he understood Morocco felt threatened by the prospect of
    independence for Western Sahara, but stressed that the
    Moroccans only had themselves to blame for current Sahrawi
    determination. Bouteflika explained, saying that Morocco
    could have easily used a more "elegant" approach to produce a
    Western Sahara independence that could be controlled or
    supervised. Instead, he said, "they want Anschluss like
    Saddam Hussein with Kuwait." Bouteflika said he easily could
    have imagined an outcome in which Western Sahara chose to
    remain a part of Morocco after seeing the benefits of
    Moroccan rule, in much the same way "as Puerto Rico chose to
    remain part of the U.S." According to Bouteflika, Morocco
    needs to offer the Polisario something, since "you cannot ask
    concessions from people who have nothing in their pockets."
    Had it not been for Morocco's "clumsy" approach, Bouteflika
    said "they could have gotten what they wanted."

    ON FRANCE AND U.S.
    ------------------

    ¶4. (S) Burdened by its colonial history in the Maghreb,
    France is unable to play a constructive role in resolving the
    Western Sahara dispute, according to Bouteflika. France "has
    never really accepted Algerian independence," Bouteflika
    said, and he claimed that France was trying to settle scores
    with Algeria by interfering in Western Sahara in support of
    Morocco. In contrast, Bouteflika said the U.S. was an ideal
    counterweight to balance Morocco, as none of the parties

    ALGIERS 00000261 002 OF 002

    involved had any bone of contention with the U.S. Bouteflika
    complained that the U.S. treats Algeria as "second class"
    compared to the preferential treatment it gives to Tunisia
    and Morocco. He said the U.S. should understand Algeria
    better, as "you also paid a price for your independence."
    Belkhadem told A/S Welch of Algeria's admiration for U.S.
    positions on the independence of East Timor and Kosovo. "Why
    don't you share the same views on Western Sahara?" asked
    Belkhadem, "it leaves us wondering what our U.S. friends
    want." With both Algerians, A/S Welch underlined that the
    U.S. sought practical approaches that would advance the
    Western Sahara negotiations forward. The Moroccan proposal,
    he noted, offered a possibility. He urged the Algerians to
    consider what they could do to help the current negotiations
    make concrete progress.

    COMMENT: NEED TO SAVE FACE
    --------------------------

    ¶5. (S) Bouteflika repeated to A/S Welch several times the
    need for Algeria to get itself out of the Western Sahara
    dispute in a way that allowed it to "save face." He
    reiterated that Algeria "has no claim" at stake, and spoke of
    looking towards positive future relations with Morocco, as
    "one day we will need to get beyond this." In a February 27
    meeting with Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci, A/S Welch
    invited the Algerian delegation to visit Washington
    immediately following the next round of negotiations at
    Manhasset, to continue the discussions.

    ¶6. (U) This cable has not been cleared by A/S Welch.
    FORD

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