INTERAGENCY BRIEFING TEAM ON GUANTANAMO ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001485

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2010
TAGS: PTER KAWC PINR PREL TU
SUBJECT: INTERAGENCY BRIEFING TEAM ON GUANTANAMO ISSUES

REF: A. STATE 45507 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 38056 (NOTAL)

C. ANKARA 1210

Classified By: DCM Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an action request--please see para. 3.


2. (C) Embassy appreciates DoD's offer to lead an interagency
team to Ankara to discuss Guantanamo issues with Turkish
officials. However, Turkey has only two detainees at
Guantanamo, and per refs b and c we understand one of these
will be released imminently. Moreover, Turkish officials do
not raise vigorous concerns about treatment of their
nationals there. A visit by the interagency team would only
serve to make Guantanamo a higher-profile issue. Thus we do
not believe a visit would be advisable at this time.


3. (SBU) Action request: Turkish officials, the press, and
members of the public do periodically ask questions about
Guantanamo, regarding both the conditions there and the legal
aspects of our policy on detainees. We therefore would
appreciate if Washington could provide talking points we can
use to deal with these queries as needed.
EDELMAN