DEMARCHE RESPONSE: FINLAND DISINCLINED TO RESETTLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000947

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2010
TAGS: MOPS PREF PREL PTER KAWC PHUM PINR FI
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: FINLAND DISINCLINED TO RESETTLE
UIGHUR DETAINEES FROM GUANTANAMO

REF: STATE 158272

Classified By: PolChief Gregory Thome, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) DCM delivered subject demarche to MFA Undersecretary
for Political Affairs Markus Lyra. Lyra said that the GOF
would be disinclined to consider resettlement of any of the
Uighurs from Guantanamo to Finland. Finland grants
third-country resettlement only to cases referred through the
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Finland has not
been approached by UNHCR regarding these cases, Lyra noted,
and even if UNHCR were to make a request it would be
problematic. He suggested that, in addition to the UNHCR
request, the U.S. would first have to accept at least some of
the Uighurs -- both to show that it is willing to share the
burden and to demonstrate that they do not represent a
security threat -- before the GOF would consider our request.
Lyra also used the occasion of our demarche to remind us
that the GOF would like to see greater U.S. cooperation with
"all the human rights mechanisms" seeking access to
Guantanamo detainees.


2. (C) Post's assessment is that it will be impossible to
resettle any of the Uighurs to Finland without UNHCR
involvement, and extremely difficult even with such
involvement.
MACK