Tags : European Parliament, corruption, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi, Qatargate, Marocgate, Morocco, DGED, Mohamed Bellahrach, Yassine Mansouri,
Antonio Panzeri has been elected by Morocco to defend its interests in the European Parliament since at least 2011. According to him, since 2009. This is what emerges from a confidential note between the Moroccan Ambassador to the EU and his minister. Morocco wanted to get its hands on the 200 million per year that the EU, in the wave of the Arab Spring, was willing to give to the Maghreb countries.
Antonio Panzeri, a former MEP under arrest since more than 3 months on charges of being the head of a criminal association dedicated to international corruption, had been chosen by Morocco to defend its interests in the European Parliament at least since 2011. This is what emerges from a correspondence confidential between the Moroccan ambassador to the European Union and the foreign minister in Rabat. «Subject: visit to Tindouf by the president of the Maghreb Delegation of the European Parliament, Antonio Panzeri».
Tindouf is the Algerian city where the government in exile of the Arab Democratic Republic of Sahrawi, also called Western Sahara, is based. Since 1976, it has claimed sovereignty over a portion of Morocco, denouncing human rights violations. The cause is promoted worldwide by the Polisario Front, an independence movement that also manages the refugee camps in Tindouf.
Morocco must avoid convictions that would have serious economic consequences, since, in the wake of the Arab Spring, the EU has decided to financially reward the most “bold” North African countries in terms of human rights and democracy. A lot that for Morocco is worth almost 200 million a year, the richest financing among the countries of the region.
In this context, Panzeri’s journey is strategic.
Confidential documents reveal that he was devilishly prepared in cahoots with Morocco. A few days after his departure, on 27 October 2011, the ambassador “informs” the minister that “on the sidelines of the plenary session of the European Parliament we had an informal conversation with Mr. Antonio Panzeri’s adviser, brought to the attention of the authorities Moroccans of a message from the latter”.
The message is reassuring: Morocco has nothing to fear, «the visit to Tindouf is essential to support the credibility of Mr. Panzeri to Algeria and Polisario, given that he has been accused of being pro-Morocco. It is not in Morocco’s interest that Mr. Panzeri is perceived as such. Mr. Panzeri did everything possible to avoid the date of November 6, the anniversary of the 1975 decolonization Green March, considered a turning point for the Polisario Front.
“November 7 is a reasonable compromise in the sense that visiting the camps in the context of a visit to Algeria is symbolic and a better option (for Morocco) than an ad hoc visit to the camps.”
According to what his emissary told the Moroccans, «Panzeri expects not to mention the autonomy with the Polisario, nor to make any declarations in this sense during the visit.
He has indicated that he will be content to listen to his interlocutors.’ And he outlined the strategic vision on the Rabat-Brussels axis: «There is a strong demand in the European Parliament regarding the Sahara question, regularly raised by the MEPs and much exploited by the pro-Polisarios, who put strong pressure (on the Socialist and democratic). The best way to manage these pressures is to contain them and channel them through Mr. Panzeri, who knows how to be a credible interlocutor for all parties».
After reporting the content of «Panzeri’s message» to the minister, the Moroccan diplomat analyzes it: «At first sight it is reassuring. The interested party is very aware of the sensitivity of his visit to the Tindouf camps, and is making a significant effort to justify it and not permanently compromise contacts with Morocco. He seems to take seriously the recommendation not to go east of the defense settlement and promises to keep our Mission informed on the evolution of his program at Tindouf.’
The document places the visit «in the extension of the methodical work begun by Mr.
Panzeri after the first months following his election as head of the Maghreb delegation. His contacts with Polisario and with the Algerian authorities, the trust he was able to build with Moroccan interlocutors and above all the “constructive ambiguity” of his attitudes towards both are manifestations of a long-term political agenda, carried out voluntarily, sometimes dangerously, but always with tact and mastery. It is difficult not to see in it even a subliminal demonstration of “capacity to disturb”, as it demonstrates how the interested party can be a weighty ally or an adversary to be feared».
Finally, the diplomat made a flattering judgment: «Seen from this angle, recent developments show a continuity rarely observed in other MEPs in Panzeri’s political line. In this logic, there is reason to think that, far from being a communication operation, the visit to Tindouf is a tactical goal in his personal agenda ». Before the visit, Panzeri will pass through Rabat. The diplomat recommended “organizing meetings for a person in charge who could brief him on the Sahara question in an appropriate way and, if necessary, advance the messages he will receive during the stops in Algiers and Tindouf”. Thus was born, in 2011, the Panzeri-Morocco pact. Which paid off for eleven years. Until a week ago.
FULL TEXT OF THE NOTE
With reference to the above-mentioned correspondence, I have the honour to inform you that, on the fringes of the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, this Mission had an informal meeting with the adviser of Mr. Pier Antonio Panzeri, who was the bearer of a message from the latter to the Moroccan authorities.
The three main ideas of this message, as communicated, are as follows
-The visit to Tindouf is necessary to consolidate Mr Panzeri’s credibility with Algeria and the Polisario, after the latter accused him of being pro-Moroccan. It is not in Morocco’s interest for Panzeri to be perceived as such. Panzeri did his best to avoid the date of 6 November. The date of the vissite (7 November) is a reasonable compromise, in that to visit the camps in the continuity of a visit to Algeria is symbolic in itself and is, in any case, a better option (for Morocco) than an ad hoc visit to the camps.
-M. Mr Panzeri started his exchanges with the Algerian and Polisario leaders from the position of the JPC, which has always placed the Sahara issue in the framework of the advanced regionalisation theme. Nevertheless, Mr Panzeri does not intend to discuss autonomy with the Polisario, nor to make a statement in this sense during his visit. He indicated that he would only listen to his interlocutors.
-There is a strong demand in the EP regarding the Sahara issue. This issue is regularly raised by MEPs and strongly exploited by the pro-Polisario side, which exerts a lot of pressure (especially within the S&D). The best way to manage this pressure is to corral it within the AFET framework, and to channel it through Mr Panzeri, who is able to be a credible interlocutor for all parties.
At first sight, Mr Panzeri’s message is reassuring. He is well aware of the sensitivity of his visit to the Tindouf camps, and makes a significant effort to justify himself and not to jeopardise his entrances with Morocco in the long term. He seems to take seriously the recommendation not to visit the area east of the defence posture, and promises to keep the Mission informed of the progress of his programme in Tindouf.
From a dynamic point of view, the recent developments are to be seen as an extension of the methodical work begun by Mr Paneri in the first few days following his election as head of the Maghreb Delegation (see M/F 033/2p/2011/CRU of 26/01/2011). His contacts with the Polisario (now crowned by the visit), his contacts with the Algerian authorities (including on the Sahara issue), the bridges of trust he has built with his Moroccan interlocutors (through the JPC and his valuable support to the EP) and, above all, the “constructive ambiguity” with which he has managed to surround his attitudes towards both sides, are the manifestations of a long-term political agenda, carried out voluntarily, at times in a perilous manner, but always with tact and control. It is difficult not to see in it, also, a subliminal demonstration of a “capacity for nuisance”, so much so that it shows how much the person concerned can be a strong ally or a formidable adversary.
Seen in this light, recent developments show a continuity in Mr Panzeri’s policy line that is rarely seen in other MEPs. In this logic, there is reason to believe that, far from being a communication operation, the visit to Tindouf is a tactical milestone in the personal agenda of the President of the D-MAG; an agenda that could be accelerated in the weeks and months to come.
Indeed, Mr Panzeri envisages launching a “process” in the EP in which the Sahara issue would be the subject of a regular and institutionalised debate in the framework of the AFET Committee. At this stage he is not clear on the objective of such a “process”. In his exchanges both with this Mission and with the co-chair of the JPC, he is content to indicate that it is a question of establishing a dialogue on the Sahara issue, without specifying whether this dialogue has an objective (in his eyes), or whether it is an end in itself.
All these reasons plead for a framing of Mr Panzer’s knowledge on the Sahara issue and of his intentions in the very short term. In this regard, it should be noted that, at the invitation of the Moroccan co-chair of the JPC, Mr Panzeri will be in Morocco from 28 October to 1 November 2011, on the eve of his visit to Algeria, which will also take him to Tindouf. This Mission recommends that the President of the D_MAG should have an interview (or more), with (an) official(s) able to brief him on the Sahara issue in an appropriate manner and, if need be, anticipate the message he will receive during the Algiers and Tindouf stages of what should be called his “tour of the parties concerned” by the Sahara issue.
Ambassador Menouar Alem
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