BUNDESTAG INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SEEKS USG

UNCLAS BERLIN 000317

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GM KJUS KLIG PGOV PINS PREL
SUBJECT: BUNDESTAG INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SEEKS USG
COOPERATION

REF: 06 BERLIN 3555


1. (U) On February 9, 2007 Ambassador Timken received a
letter from the chairman of the Bundestag committee
investigating the detention in Guantanamo of the German-born
Turkish national Murat Kurnaz. In the letter, Chairman
Siegfried Kauder asks whether the USG would be willing to
allow an American official, who allegedly accompanied two
German officials to Guantanamo where they questioned the
detainee, to give testimony before the committe.


2. (SBU) This is the third letter since June, 2006 that
Chairman Kauder has sent to Ambassador Timken requesting the
USG either to produce testimony or evidence for their
investigation. The previous letters and attachments had been
faxed and cabled (reftel) to EUR/AGS and L with a request for
advice from L on how or whether the Ambassador or another
Embassy Berlin official should respond to Chairman Kauder.
To date the Embassy has not received responses to either of
the earlier requests.


3. (SBU) We understand that Chairman Kauder does not expect
a favorable response from the USG, but would appreciate an
acknowledgement of receipt of the letters and perhaps an
explanation of why the USG chooses not to comply with the
committee's requests. The Embassy would appreciate some
guidance on whether or how to respond.


4. (U) Following is the text of the February 6 letter:

(begin text)

His Excellency
Mr. William R. Timken, Jr.
Ambassador of the United States of America
Neustadtische KirchstraBe 4-5
10117 Berlin

February 6, 2007

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

On 7 April 2006, the German Bundestag adopted a resolution
establishing the First Committee of Inquiry of the 16th
electoral term. Under the mandate established by Parliament,
the Committee of Inquiry is to clarify still unresolved
questions, make assessments and draw the necessary
conclusion, among other things, in connection with a report
presented by the German Federal Government "On Events
Relating to the Iraq War and Combating International
Terrorism."

Please refer to enclosure 1 for details of the Committee of
Inquiry's mandate. At its meeting on 1 February 2007, the
Committee of Inquiry decided to cordially request the
Government of the United States of America to support the
parliamentary work of the Committee.

On behalf of the members of the Committee, I would like to
express the hope that you will find yourself able to provide
information of importance for the Committee of Inquiry in
fulfilling its mandate.

In line with the Committee's Decision to take Evidence, which
I also enclose for your information (Decision to take
Evidence 16-230, enclosure 2),we request your assistance
regarding the questioning of Mr. Murat Kurnaz by German
officials in Guantanamo. The German officials were
supposedly accompanied during their journey to and stay at
Guantanamo by a member of staff employed by U.S. agencies in
Germany. The member of staff, identified as "Steve H.", may
be able to testify about the questioning of Mr. Kurnaz in
Guantanamo.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government of the
United States of America were prepared to make it possible
for Mr. Steve H. to testify before the First Committee of
Inquiry, and were prepared to send a photograph of him.

I would like to thank you for your readiness to receive and
examine the request of the German Bundestag.

Sincerely,

Siegfried Kauder
Chairman of the First Committee of Inquiry

(end text)
TIMKEN JR