TEXT OF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008313 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA AND L E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2010 TAGS: PREL EU PTER PINR PHUM FR SUBJECT: TEXT OF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO THE SECRETARY REF: A. (A) BALL/OWEN E-MAILS DECEMBER 6 ¶B. 2005 ¶C. (B) BALL/BAKER FAX DECEMBER 2 Classified By: Acting DCM Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Action request -- see para 5. ¶2. (U) Post received on December 6, 2005 faxed copy of a letter to the Secretary from the President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Renee van der Linden. The transmittal sheet attached to the letter from van der Linden's Chief of Staff requests that the Ambassador transmit President van der Linden's letter to the Secretary. A copy of van der Linden's letter has been forwarded to the Department as a pdf file (ref A). ¶3. (C) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER: Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly The President Strasbourg, 6 December 2005 Dear Secretary of State, I write further to my letter of 2 December 2005, in which I enquired about the possibility of a meeting with you during your visit to Europe. The purpose of this meeting with you would have been to discuss the issue of allegations relating to secret detentions and extraordinary renditions involving the C.I.A. and taking place on the territory of Council of Europe member States. I understand that the programme of your visit did not allow for such a meeting to take place. I would like to take this opportunity, therefore, to express some of the concerns that I would otherwise have stated in person. Democratic Europe has always enjoyed excellent mutual relations with the USA. We all stand for the same values, given effect through the basic principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. I fear, however, that the current allegations risk damaging the image of the USA in Europe and undermining transatlantic relationships, at a time when the global security situation requires strong alliances between our countries. For the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which brings together 630 members of national parliaments from 46 European countries, this matter is of utmost importance. We consider that such possible practices as secret detention and extraordinary rendition are in clear SIPDIS violation of our basic legal standards concerning the prohibition on torture and inhuman treatment and the right to liberty and security of the person. We have responded to the current situation by establishing an enquiry, to be conducted by the Chairperson of our Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Mr. Dick Marty. I would urge the U.S. authorities to cooperate fully with Mr. Marty,s enquiries in order to discover and make public the truth about these allegations. Your country,s position on this issue is crucial in order to demonstrate that the same rules apply to all countries. Failing this would seriously undermine the moral foundations of the democratic world order. Yours sincerely, Ren van der Linden END TEXT OF LETTER. ¶4. (U) The "letter of 2 December 2005" mentioned by van der Linden in paragraph one refers to a letter, which has been answered, from him to Ambassador Stapleton requesting a meeting with the Secretary in Brussels on December 8 (ref B). Van der Linden also sent a copy of his December 6 letter to the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, who is also the U.S. Consul General in Strasbourg, France. ¶5. (C) Action request: Post requests Department's guidance. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton