SUWIT EXTRADITION: SECOND DEMARCHE DELIVERED

UNCLAS BANGKOK 002227

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR L/LEI - JCOGAN AND EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV CJAN CASC CPAS SNAR KCRM TH
SUBJECT: SUWIT EXTRADITION: SECOND DEMARCHE DELIVERED

REF: A. STATE 58458

B. BANGKOK 2168


1. (SBU) In a meeting with MFA Director General for Treaties
and Legal Affairs, Mr. Krit Kriachitti, and several members
of his staff, DCM delivered Reftel A demarche. In response
to DCM's request that the RTG provide assurances that, should
the death penalty be imposed on Suwit Prasoprat, it not be
carried out, Krit explained that the RTG could not go beyond
the position it had outlined earlier (Reftel B). Krit shared
a copy of a Diplomatic Note from the MFA to the Government of
Canada regarding a similar case which noted, "there is no
provision in Thai law which allows the Royal Thai Government
to give such an assurance."


2. (SBU) Krit reiterated the RTG position that it had
provided sufficient assurances in accordance with Article 6
of the US-Thailand extradition treaty (Reftel B). He
conveyed his hope that the USG would accept this assurance
and find it consistent with the terms of the treaty. Krit
repeatedly expressed concern about the utility and
effectiveness of the treaty if the USG refused to extradite
Suwit after it had provided assurances consistent with the
treaty language. After stating that the RTG is fully
committed to cooperating with the USG to combat all forms of
trans-national crime, Krit cautioned that the utility of the
extradition treaty might come into question if the USG proved
unable to extradite a criminal like Suwit, after the RTG had
provided assurances in compliance with the treaty. DCM said
we were disappointed that the RTG could not go beyond the
assurances it had provided earlier, but concurred that both
sides were fully committed to effective law enforcement
cooperation across-the-board. The meeting concluded with DCM
saying that we would report Director General Krit's comments
to Washington.
BOYCE