Wikileaks - DCXCIX

102274 3/28/2007 11:33 07ATHENS638 Embassy Athens CONFIDENTIAL 07ATHENS616|07STATE37005 VZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTH #0638/01 0871133 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281133Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8575 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4668 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1250 RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA PRIORITY 0026 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1113 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0936 RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST PRIORITY 0509 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0328 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 0032 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0053 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 0089 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1285 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG PRIORITY 0025 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1131 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0202 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1338 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0051 RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK PRIORITY 0014 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA PRIORITY 0009 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 3906 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 1516 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0176 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN PRIORITY 0066 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 1334 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0893 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS PRIORITY 0015 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0136 C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000638

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017 TAGS: PREL, PTER, PHUM, PINR, KAWC, GR SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES: FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FROM GREECE

REF: A) STATE 37005 B) ATHENS 616

Classified By: AMBASSADOR CHARLES RIES. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D).

1. (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: In a March 27 meeting with the Ambassador, MFA Secretary General Rocanas stated that FM Bakoyannis wanted to respond helpfully to the U.S. request for Guantanamo detainee resettlement. However, there were a number of questions the GOG needed to have answered before proceeding with inter-ministerial consultations. Most questions focused on the status of and restrictions on detainees once resettled. Rocanas made clear that -- if the GOG found it was able to accept one or two individuals -- it would clearly prefer case(s) which did not require security assurances. Ambassador agreed to request answers from Washington, and promised to provide additional information on specific cases. Embassy requests Department input on the questions outlined in para 2 to facilitate GOG consideration of our request. END SUMMARY.

2. (C) Following ref b discussion with FM Bakoyannis, MFA Secretary General Rocanas contacted the Ambassador. He had

SIPDIS been instructed by the FM to meet with the Ambassador one-on-one with a number of questions that the GOG would need answered before it could begin considering our request. These were:

-- Would the individuals resettled have identification documents or passports? If so, what form of identification would they have? -- Should the individuals be issued with residence permits, work permits, and/or humanitarian visas? -- Were we anticipating that the individuals be granted asylum? Rocanas pointed out that the outcome of such a process was unclear as cases were adjudicated by judges. There was no guarantee that asylum would be granted. -- How have other released detainees been resettled in other countries? -- Would the U.S. transport the individuals to Greece or would they travel by commercial airline? -- What, in our view, did "resettlement" mean? Would placement in a refugee camp (such as Lavrio) be considered "resettlement?" Did we expect that the individuals to lead a normal life in Greece? -- Would the GOG be expected to restrict access to journalists by resettled detainees? Could they speak to the press freely? -- Did the U.S. expect the GOG to provide resettled individuals with a change of identity? -- Did the individuals have professions/education that would allow them to support themselves once resettled? -- What did we expect to happen if the individuals, once resettled in Greece, decided to return to their homeland? Was the GOG expected to restrain them from doing so?

3. (C) Rocanas emphasized that these questions were not exhaustive; he expected additional issues would arise. The GOG would also need a short history of the individuals proposed for resettlement (NOTE: Embassy received some information by e-mail from reftel POC Sam Mubangu on March 28, which we will transmit to Rocanas). Rocanas pointed out that the FM wanted to be helpful, but -- before she could raise the issue with the Prime Minister, Minister of Public Order and Minister of Interior -- she needed further details.

Rocanas added that, if the GOG found it was able to accept a detainee (or two), it would clearly prefer one of the eleven cases for which the U.S. was requesting security assurances. It would also be helpful if the individual(s) had an appearance that would be ease their acceptance in Greece (for example, and Egyptian or Uzbek). RIES