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ACTION AID-05
INFO OCT-01 NEA-09 ISO-00 EB-07 IGA-01 L-02 ARA-06 CIAE-00
DODE-00 AGR-05 COME-00 TRSE-00 RSC-01 /037 W
--------------------- 094885
R 301245Z JAN 75
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4448
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE RABAT 0539
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: ESTC, MO, CU
SUBJECT: CUBA SHIPPING: INVOLVEMENT OF MOROCCAN SHIP "MARRAKECH"
REF: A. STATE 276077
B. RABAT 6234 (DECEMBER 27, 1974)
C. STATE 3406
1. ECOUN TOOK OCCASION OF AMBASSADOR'S IMPENDING RETURN
TO ESCALATE LEVEL OF INQUIRY AT FONMIN BY CALLING ON CHIEF
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS DIVISION SEBTI TO LEARN RESULTS GOM
INQUIRIES RE "MARRAKECH" INVOLVEMENT CUBA TRADE. SEBTI
FULLY BRIEFED AND GAVE FOLLOWING RESPONSE AND ASSURANCE:
A. GOM HAS GIVEN STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO GOVERNMENT-OWNED
COMANAV THAT NO RPT NO CARGOES DESTINED FOR CUBA TO BE
CARRIED. NO VIOLATIONS BY COMANAV SO FAR AS GOM AWARE.
B. PRIVATE SHIPPING LINES E.G. "MARRAKECH" OWNED BY SMNF
OF CASABLANCA HAVE BEEN GIVEN SIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS. TO
KNOWLEDGE GOM, PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVE DONE CREDITABLE JOB
OF COMPLIANCE. ONLY THREE VIOLATIONS KNOWN TO GOM IN
MANY YEARS. (FYI: THIS COUNT IN CONFORMITY EMBASSY RECORDS.
END FYI). IN MOROCCO, SHIP CAPTAINS HAVE MORE INDEPENDENCE
IN SEEKING CARGOES THAN IN SOME OTHER COUNTRIES. WITH PERSONNEL
TURNOVER, ETC., SOME ALLOWANCE MUST BE MADE FOR HUMAN ERROR.
C. WHILE CONTINUING TO COMPLY TO FULLEST DEGREE WITH US
REQUIRMENTS, GOM WISHES BRING TO ATTENTION US AUTHORITIES
NEW PROBLEMS BEING POSED BY THIS US LEGISLATION. FIRST,
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MOROCCO IMPORTING INCREASINGLY LARGE VOLUME SUGAR. IN TALKS
WITH CUBANS, SHIPPING PROBLEM HAS INEVITABLY COME UP. GOM
WILL BE FACING INCREASING PRESSURE. SECOND, COMPETITION
FOR CARGOES INCREASING AS WORLD TRADE FLOWS DIMINISH. THIS
OCCURRING AT TIME WHEN GOM INFLUENCE OVER PRIVATE COMPANIES
LESS THAN SOME YEARS AGO. SOME CAPTAINS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME
FLAUNT REGULATIONS IF THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.
D. GOM HAS REMINDED SMNF THAT NO-CUBA-TRADE INSTRUCTION
REMAINS IN FORCE AND HAS REQUESTED FULL REPORT ON CARGO AND
CIRCUMSTANCES AUGUST-SEPTEMBER "MARRAKECH" INCIDENT.
2. EMBASSY BELIEVES GOM MAKING EFFORT COMPLY WITH
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT REQUIREMENTS AND FULLY AWARE WHAT
FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD MEAN FOR ANTICIPATED P.L.-480 AND
OTHER AID REQUESTS AT TIME OF SEVERE CROP FAILURE HERE. WHILE
OVERALL COMPLIANCE RECORD GOOD, GOM COULD EXERCISE STRONGER
SANCTIONS ON OCCASIONAL VIOLATORS. AT SAME TIME THIS WOULD
BE EXPECTING MUCH OF RATHER INEFFICIENT MOROCCAN ADMINISTRATIVE
SYSTEM. EMBASSY BELIEVES SEBTI NOT EXAGGERATING WHEN HE SAYS
ECONOMIC PRESSURES GROWING AND THAT NOTHING WOULD RELIEVE
GOM MORE THAN US POLICY SHIFT RE CUBA. IN MEANTIME, WE ACCEPT
ASSURANCES IN GOOD FAITH THAT INCIDENT WILL NOT BE REPEATED
WITHIN SCOPE OF GOM AND USG ABILITY TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE.
3. ASSUME THAT EXPLANATION AND STEPS TAKEN ACCEPTABLE
WASHINGTON AGENCIES.
NEUMANN
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