FINNISH RESPONSE TO S LETTER ON ALLEGED US

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001281 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM FI EUN SUBJECT: FINNISH RESPONSE TO S LETTER ON ALLEGED US TRANSPORTATION OF TERRORIST SUSPECTS REF: A. STATE 220071 ¶B. STATE 219905 ¶C. HELSINKI 1267 ¶D. THOME-EUR/NB E-MAIL 28 NOV. 2005 Classified By: CDA Amy Hyatt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Finnish MFA officials have offered generally measured reactions to the Secretary's response to Foreign Secretary Straw on alleged US detention and transportation of terrorist suspects through the EU. FM Tuomioja publicly welcomed the Secretary's dialogue with European partners at the Dec. 8 EU/NATO dinner, noting that her "assurances have to be regarded as truthful." However, the GOF also is clearly disappointed that it will not receive a specific response to its request for information regarding an alleged CIA flight that transited Helsinki in 2003. The GOF is facing strident demands for assurances that the flight in question did not transport detainees, including a formal notification from Parliament's legal affairs committee that it will not ratify the US-EU bilateral extradition treaty or a mutual legal assistance treaty until such assurances are received. End Summary. GOF Responds to Secretary's Letter to Straw -------------- ¶2. (C) On Dec. 8, immediately following his participation in the Secretary's EU/NATO dinner in Brussels, FM Erkki Tuomioja issued a statement to the Finnish press in which he welcomed Secretary Rice's efforts to respond to her European counterparts' concerns about alleged US detention and transportation of terrorist suspects in or through EU member states. Saying that he, like his colleagues, appreciated the Secretary's efforts to address the issue, Tuomioja noted positively that Rice's "assurances have to be regarded as truthful." However, Tuomioja also expressed disappointment over the fact that Finland would not receive a country-specific response to its note verbal (see Reftel D) of Nov. 24, which requested "additional information" regarding a Prescott Services flight which landed in Helsinki in May 2003 and which journalists and human rights groups have alleged may have been transporting detainees. The GOF has been facing pressure from the press and from Parliament on this issue, and had requested in previous meetings (Refs C and D) our assistance in helping to "bury" the issue. When pressed by journalists as to why no specific clarification would be forthcoming from the US, Tuomioja stated, "We are disappointed. In terms of the issue, it would have been better to get more detailed information." Parliament Delays Action on Extradition Treaty and MLAT -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) On Dec. 9, Charge and PolChief met with Finnish MFA Director for North America and Asia Elina Kalkku (A/S equivalent) per Reftel A instructions. Kalkku, who had already seen the Secretary's letter to Straw, once again asked the Embassy to provide additional information about the March 2003 flight that might help the MFA respond to media and political pressure. Kalkku expressed concern over the fact that the issue was threatening to slow progress on other bilateral initiatives of importance to both governments. In particular, she said, the Finnish Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) has officially asked the MFA to provide clarifications regarding the March 2003 flight, emphasizing that such information would be important as the Committee begins the process of ratifying the US-EU extradition treaty and a pending Finnish-US mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT). (NOTE: The LAC's chairman told PolChief privately that the committee would take no action on either treaty until it gets the information.) In addition, Kalkku noted that Finland's European partners (she mentioned Sweden specifically) are sharing information on flight/detainee issues. While there is currently nothing to suggest that more than one "of these flights" landed in Finland, the GOF fears further negative fallout should the press or others uncover another similar case. ¶4. (C) In response, Charge said that we had seen FM Tuomioja's public statements and that we would take careful note of the MFA's additional concerns regarding other bilateral initiatives. She noted that Secretary Rice's letter to Straw clearly laid out the US position on the matter. However, per standing guidance, Charge emphasized that no further information or a country- specific response to Finland's requests for clarification would be forthcoming. HYATT