03 November 2003 U.S. to Greatly Enhance Assistance to Morocco in 2004State's Burns says both military and non-militgary aid to rise The United States plans to more than quadruple its non-military assistance and to double its military assistance to Morocco in 2004, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns said in Rabat, Morocco, October 28. "I would like to announce our intention to more than quadruple our non-military assistance to Morocco. Starting next year, we will seek to provide approximately $40 million in assistance, a number we will look favorably to augmenting in the years ahead," Burns said. He said the money would go to support Morocco's economic, social, educational, and political reforms. Burns said the United States will double its foreign military financing to Morocco in 2004 to reach $20 million. "The United States will continue to be the closest possible partner and ally to Morocco as it takes the necessary steps to ensure peace and prosperity for the future generations in this region," Burns said. Regarding the Western Sahara conflict, Burns called on Morocco and Algeria to work constructively with the United Nations to find a political settlement that is acceptable by all. With regard to the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Morocco, Burns said the negotiators are making significant progress and are on track to complete the negotiations by the end of 2003. Commenting on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Burns emphasized the importance of direct talks between the parties. He noted the importance of fighting terrorism and violence and said the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is in the interest of both Israelis and Palestinians. Following is the transcript of Burns' press conference in Rabat October 28: (begin transcript) Press Conference
My visit comes in the wake of three landmark events that have occurred here in recent weeks. First, His Majesty, King Mohammed's bold proposal to reform the Moudawana demonstrates Morocco's commitment to ensuring the rights of women and children while fully respecting cherished culture, history and values. President Bush has written to His Majesty to convey his congratulations on this important step. Second, Morocco conducted successful elections for regional and municipal councils in September. In these elections, Moroccan citizens once again made clear their respect for democratic processes and their choice for government accountable to the people.
The purpose of my visit is to underscore U.S. support for the Government of Morocco as it moves forward on the path it has chosen of political, economic and social modernization. I would like to announce two measures that are intended as tangible illustrations of the U.S. commitment to Morocco. First, I would like to announce our intention to more than quadruple our non-military assistance to Morocco. Starting next year, we will seek to provide approximately $40 million in assistance, a number we will look favorably to augmenting in the years ahead. These monies will help strengthen Morocco's efforts to open up greater economic, educational, and political opportunities for all its citizens. Some of these monies will also assist Morocco to enhance its fight against terrorism. Second, I would also like to announce our intention to double our Foreign Military Financing to Morocco to reach $20 million next year. We look forward to enhancing our cooperation in the years ahead with Morocco's fine military forces and to increasing Morocco's abilities to update its equipment and police its shores. The United States greatly values its relationship with Morocco and we will work with you closely in the coming months to define ways to maximize our mutual benefit and further strengthen this relationship. During my visit, I have also discussed with His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and the Foreign Minister, the important work that lies ahead for the countries in this region to resolve for future generations the issue of the Western Sahara. As we have long said, the United States does not support a solution that is imposed on Morocco, or on any other of the parties. Rather we urge the parties to work constructively with the United Nations and with each other to find a way forward. It is the President's wish that the nations of the Maghreb build on a real and durable peace to ensure prosperity for all their citizens, and the United States has encouraged all parties to the conflict to work together to that end. The historic steps Morocco has taken toward political, economic and social
modernization demonstrate its strength and reinforce its standing in the
community of nations. The United States will continue to be the closest possible
partner and ally to Morocco as it takes the necessary steps to ensure peace and
prosperity for the future generations in this region. In the coming months, we
look forward to more frequent exchanges of high-level visitors, so that we can
sustain our important dialogue on bilateral and regional developments. Q: Ali Bouzerda, Abu Dhabi TV: Mr. Burns, when you say that Washington plans to double its military aid to Morocco by next year, don't you think this is below the level needed for real cooperation between the two countries? And second question: What's your assessment of the ongoing talks over the Free Trade Zone? Thanks. ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Sure, on your second question first because I have difficulty retaining two questions at the same time (smiles) I think we're making very significant progress with regard to our negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. I do believe, as I said earlier, that we're on track to complete those negotiations by the end of this year. I am also convinced that the successful conclusion of those negotiations and the agreement that will result will be of very significant benefit to both of our countries. We're sensitive to some of the issues involved, particularly agriculture in Morocco. Our negotiators will do everything they can to take those sensitivities into account and ensure that the result will be a success for both Moroccans and Americans. On your first question regarding assistance levels -- as I said, in the military area, we aim over the next year to double our assistance and in the non-military area, we aim to multiply by four times our assistance levels to Morocco. This is a significant step. It's a recognition of steps taken by the Moroccan leadership and the people themselves to open up opportunities in this society. This is exactly the philosophy that we've tried to support throughout the region for homegrown efforts at economic, social, educational, and political reform. And so that's the reason that we're taking this significant step now. As this process continues, we'll look forward in the future to doing even more. Q: Mbarak Lmrabet, Al Ahdath Al Magrebiya: I have two short questions if you don't mind. I would like to know if any concrete steps were taken to push Morocco and Algeria to work together to resolve the conflict. Any concrete steps, that is, aside from those diplomatic expressions you are using here? My second question, what do you think of the Geneva Accord? I'm speaking about the Middle East now. Do you consider it something that could add something to the roadmap, or that it could actually... ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: On the first question regarding the Western Sahara: Again, the American position is very clear. We support a political solution. We don't support the imposition of any solution on any other parties. We do support and strongly encourage others to engage positively with the Secretary General, with his Personal Envoy, Mr. Baker. We also support and encourage -- and I delivered this message in Algiers, as well -- bi-lateral dialogue between Algeria and Morocco to complement that process. The point that we've tried to stress to all our friends in the region is what is at stake here, as well as the benefits everyone can reap from making progress toward a political solution on this issue. I don't have a particular formula to offer you today except to re-emphasize the importance the United States attaches to the points I just made. With regard to the efforts made recently on the so-called Geneva Accord, as well as efforts made by others, I'd like to highlight, first, the value of Israelis and Palestinians talking to one another about those difficult issues. I'd also like to highlight what's at stake here for both Israelis and Palestinians, and to highlight the possibility of working through some of those issues. It seems to me that in general, those are steps that can be very useful. I don't have a particular comment on what has been produced by those who were engaged in Geneva. But I think in general terms, it's extremely valuable to remind people of the importance of dealing with one another directly and to remind people of what's possible at the end of the roadmap. These are enormously difficult issues. The parties have to get started. What that means, in my view, is that there has to be a very clear determination to fight terror and violence, because it is clear that you will not achieve a workable outcome for either Palestinians or Israelis using those means. But at the same time Palestinians, who are suffering terribly every day under occupation, have to have a clear sense that it is possible to end that occupation, the occupation that began in 1967, and achieve the independent Palestinian state that I believe is so much in the interest of both Palestinians and Israelis. Q: Moncef Slimi, Asharq Al Awsat: When you talk about dialogue between Morocco and Algeria, you said in your opening statement that they should work side-by-side with the UN and with each other to find a way out of the Western Sahara crisis. Does the U.S. intend to take the process out of the UN (inaudible)? My second question is: Do you confirm or deny news reports on the establishment of a monitoring base in southern Algeria in an area called Tamanrasit for monitoring terrorists in African regions? ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: On your second question, the reports of the construction of a U.S. base of some sort in Southern Algeria are not accurate. On your first question, I will simply re-emphasize that the United States continues to support the efforts of the Secretary General, Mr. Annan, and of his Personal Envoy, Mr. Baker. That is a long-standing American position, and we encourage all the parties to engage with them positively. At the same time, as President Bush has conveyed to both His Majesty and President Bouteflika, we believe it is also very useful for Morocco and Algeria to engage with one another. And, again, I would simply restate that everyone can benefit from progress toward a political solution -- benefit in terms of increased coordination in the region, increased stability, and increased prosperity for everyone in the Maghreb region. Q: Abdelfettah Fakihani, AFP: Mr. Burns, the conflict in the Western Sahara has continued for 27 years. The U.S. is a friend of Morocco and is deeply interested in North Africa. Still, we see no progress or any U.S. initiatives to solve this problem. There seems to be a kind of status quo. What's your opinion? ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: I simply will re-emphasize a couple points. First, we understand the complexity of the issue and the sensitivities involved for all sides. Second, there has been a very active effort underway, through the United Nations, and there have been contacts between the parties themselves. The United States, as a long-standing friend and ally to Morocco, as a country that has had and continues to have an improving and increasingly strong relationship with Algeria, as a country that has a deep interest in progress in this part of the world -- we'll continue to do everything we can to help and encourage progress toward that political solution. But as I said, we have no illusions. We understand how complicated this issue is. It is because it is so deeply in the interests of everyone in this region, and because everyone can benefit from a political solution, that we'll continue to do everything that we can. Q: RTM-TV French service: Does the U.S. State Department think that talks with Algeria alone can help reach a solution with the United Nations? I understood from Morocco's reaction that they are completely rejecting a settlement plan within the United Nations framework and that they are trying to find solution with Algeria. Now you said that it should complement the UN efforts. Do you think that talks with Algeria alone can make up for (sic) a solution? ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: I will simply re-emphasize what I said before, and that is that the United States' policy is to continue to support the efforts of the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy. We've encouraged our friends in Morocco, as well as in Algeria, to engage constructively and positively in that effort. We've also, as I've said, encouraged direct, bi-lateral contacts as well. In our view, all of these means can be productive avenues to move ahead, and they complement one another. Q: Hossein Idrissi, Al Haraka: The question I want to pose is how the United States of America, which is leading a big international campaign against terrorism, does not see in the organization of Polisario as a group of terrorists who are keeping people from their families, their homeland, and their country for political and dirty reasons. How would the United States attack this question? Human rights... ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Well, certainly human rights concerns are an important part of our policy and our approach in this region, as in every other part of the world. It's an important part of our dialogue with all the parties that I've just mentioned before. We will certainly continue to push for the broad goal of a political solution because that, we are convinced, is very much in the interest of all of the parties that are engaged in this problem. Q: Abderrahim Jebbar, RTM-TV Arabic service: My first question is on problems
facing the Sahara issue. There are hundreds of Moroccans imprisoned in Tindouf.
We are aware that international organizations, along with the U.S., are strong
advocates for human rights. Will the U.S. take advantage of its new relationship
with Algeria to apply pressure for the release of those imprisoned
Moroccans? ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: On the first question, the United States has certainly welcomed in the past the release of Moroccan prisoners that has taken place from time to time. That's certainly a step that we continue to welcome. On the second question, I don't have anything new to state publicly today with regard to the support of countries in the Maghreb, or elsewhere in the region, for the Iraqi people and their effort to regain control of their own affairs. Certainly UN Security Council Resolution 1511 and the unanimous vote in favor of it several weeks ago was a very positive step toward restoring a strong international consensus about support for the Iraqi people. The Madrid Donors Conference, in which Morocco participated, was another positive step. The situation is complicated and it's full of challenges, but the United States welcomes the cooperation of our friends in this region, as well as throughout the international community. Because, what's at stake here is the future of the Iraqi people. And that's something in which all the countries of the Maghreb, and all the countries throughout the region, in our view, have a very deep stake. We'll look forward to continuing to cooperate. But I don't have anything specific with regard to troop contributions. Thank you all very much. (end transcript)
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