REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES:

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000638 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PINR KAWC GR SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES: FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FROM GREECE REF: A) STATE 37005 B) ATHENS 616 Classified By: AMBASSADOR CHARLES RIES. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: In a March 27 meeting with the Ambassador, MFA Secretary General Rocanas stated that FM Bakoyannis wanted to respond helpfully to the U.S. request for Guantanamo detainee resettlement. However, there were a number of questions the GOG needed to have answered before proceeding with inter-ministerial consultations. Most questions focused on the status of and restrictions on detainees once resettled. Rocanas made clear that -- if the GOG found it was able to accept one or two individuals -- it would clearly prefer case(s) which did not require security assurances. Ambassador agreed to request answers from Washington, and promised to provide additional information on specific cases. Embassy requests Department input on the questions outlined in para 2 to facilitate GOG consideration of our request. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Following ref b discussion with FM Bakoyannis, MFA Secretary General Rocanas contacted the Ambassador. He had SIPDIS been instructed by the FM to meet with the Ambassador one-on-one with a number of questions that the GOG would need answered before it could begin considering our request. These were: -- Would the individuals resettled have identification documents or passports? If so, what form of identification would they have? -- Should the individuals be issued with residence permits, work permits, and/or humanitarian visas? -- Were we anticipating that the individuals be granted asylum? Rocanas pointed out that the outcome of such a process was unclear as cases were adjudicated by judges. There was no guarantee that asylum would be granted. -- How have other released detainees been resettled in other countries? -- Would the U.S. transport the individuals to Greece or would they travel by commercial airline? -- What, in our view, did "resettlement" mean? Would placement in a refugee camp (such as Lavrio) be considered "resettlement?" Did we expect that the individuals to lead a normal life in Greece? -- Would the GOG be expected to restrict access to journalists by resettled detainees? Could they speak to the press freely? -- Did the U.S. expect the GOG to provide resettled individuals with a change of identity? -- Did the individuals have professions/education that would allow them to support themselves once resettled? -- What did we expect to happen if the individuals, once resettled in Greece, decided to return to their homeland? Was the GOG expected to restrain them from doing so? ¶3. (C) Rocanas emphasized that these questions were not exhaustive; he expected additional issues would arise. The GOG would also need a short history of the individuals proposed for resettlement (NOTE: Embassy received some information by e-mail from reftel POC Sam Mubangu on March 28, which we will transmit to Rocanas). Rocanas pointed out that the FM wanted to be helpful, but -- before she could raise the issue with the Prime Minister, Minister of Public Order and Minister of Interior -- she needed further details. Rocanas added that, if the GOG found it was able to accept a detainee (or two),it would clearly prefer one of the eleven cases for which the U.S. was requesting security assurances. It would also be helpful if the individual(s) had an appearance that would be ease their acceptance in Greece (for example, and Egyptian or Uzbek). RIES