Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
05ALGIERS1876 | 2005-09-06 10:27:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Algiers |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 061027Z Sep 05 |
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001876 |
1. (C) During an August 31 meeting with FM Bedjaoui on other issues, Ambassador (accompanied by PolEcon Chief) pressed the GOA to communicate quickly its willingness to accept the return of twelve Algerian deportees and issue them travel documents. Ambassador said that we had raised these cases repeatedly with the GOA and that some of these cases had now been pending for up to two years. 2. (C) As the Foreign Minister (a former head of the International Court of Justice) knew, Ambassador continued, states had an international legal obligation to accept their own citizens. We recognized that Algeria needed to verify the Algerian nationality of these individuals. Accordingly, we have provided the necessary personal information, including in several cases Algerian documentation. All these individuals had also testified in U.S. courts that they were Algerian nationals. 3. (C) However, despite repeated inquiries in both Algiers and Washington, we had unfortunately seen no evidence that serious follow-up action was being taken, Ambassador said. It was important to act now to resolve these pending cases in order to avoid serious problems down the line, should it be determined that Algeria was not honoring its legal obligations. Algeria had recently received Algerian nationals deported from the United Kingdom and France. Algeria's delay in responding to our request to receive Algerian nationals being deported from the United States looked bad and gave the impression Algeria was not interested in cooperating. 4. (C) FM Bedjaoui thanked Ambassador for bringing this issue to his attention, noting this was the first time he had heard of these cases. He immediately acknowledged the international legal obligation of states to receive their own nationals. He said he would ask his staff for background information on these cases, emphasizing that he wanted "to avoid a problem" over this issue. ERDMAN |