nouvelle révélation croustillante:
SUBJECT: BOUTEFLIKA ON WESTERN SAHARA: OUR BACKS ARE
AGAINST THE WALL - HELP US
REF: ALGIERS 261
Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) President Bouteflika pleaded for U.S. assistance to
find a breakthrough on the Western Sahara stalemate during
Ambassador's farewell call on June 24. Bouteflika said the
U.S. had always supported self-determination, and the
apparent change in policy to support Morocco's position is
painful and confusing to Algerians. He added that he has
been very careful not to let the bilateral relationship
suffer due to the U.S. change of policy on Western Sahara,
but with the U.S. and France backing Morocco, "we have our
backs against the wall."
2. (C) Ambassador told Bouteflika that the U.S. always
supported the idea of autonomy as a way to remove forward in
a pragmatic manner. He said that if the two parties did not
adopt a realistic stance, the current stalemate could last
another 30 years or even longer. Ambassador said that it
would be better for the Sahrawi refugees to live under a good
autonomy plan rather than to continue living in refugee
camps. He added that the U.S. did not ask the Polisario to
accept Morocco's plan, but to accept negotiation on autonomy
and put their own proposal on the table. Ambassador
continued that the U.S. would be supportive of a broad
measure of autonomy. He cited the example of the Kurds in
Iraq who enjoy wide authorities within a united Iraqi state.
AGAINST THE WALL - HELP US
REF: ALGIERS 261
Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) President Bouteflika pleaded for U.S. assistance to
find a breakthrough on the Western Sahara stalemate during
Ambassador's farewell call on June 24. Bouteflika said the
U.S. had always supported self-determination, and the
apparent change in policy to support Morocco's position is
painful and confusing to Algerians. He added that he has
been very careful not to let the bilateral relationship
suffer due to the U.S. change of policy on Western Sahara,
but with the U.S. and France backing Morocco, "we have our
backs against the wall."
2. (C) Ambassador told Bouteflika that the U.S. always
supported the idea of autonomy as a way to remove forward in
a pragmatic manner. He said that if the two parties did not
adopt a realistic stance, the current stalemate could last
another 30 years or even longer. Ambassador said that it
would be better for the Sahrawi refugees to live under a good
autonomy plan rather than to continue living in refugee
camps. He added that the U.S. did not ask the Polisario to
accept Morocco's plan, but to accept negotiation on autonomy
and put their own proposal on the table. Ambassador
continued that the U.S. would be supportive of a broad
measure of autonomy. He cited the example of the Kurds in
Iraq who enjoy wide authorities within a united Iraqi state.
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