ASKING BELGIUM TO TAKE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001048 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2022 TAGS: PREL PTER PINR KAWC BE SUBJECT: ASKING BELGIUM TO TAKE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES REF: A. STATE 036512 ¶B. STATE 036550 Classified By: W. IMBRIE, CDA, REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (C/NF) CDA IMBRIE DISCUSSED REF REQUEST FOR BELGIUM TO ACCEPT NON-BELGIAN DETAINEES AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT THEM WITH FM KAREL DE GUCHT ON 3/28/2007. HE OFFERED A FULLER BRIEFING (TO BE DRAWN FROM REFTELS AND DETAINEE INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT) AS DESIRED. ¶2. (C/NF) CDA NOTED THAT BELGIUM, LIKE THE US, WANTS TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO AND TO THAT END, WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT BELGIUM ACCEPT, IN ADDITIONAL TO THE BELGIAN DETAINEES, A NUMBER OF NON-BELGIAN DETAINEES. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS DEEMED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO BE OF RELATIVELY LOW OR MEDIUM THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES, WHO WE WANT TO RELEASE, BUT CANNOT BE RELEASED TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, OR BECAUSE OF HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT. IN ADDITION, CDA ASKED THAT BELGIUM APPROACH OTHER COUNTRIES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACCEPT DETAINEES. ¶3. (C/NF) THE FOLLOWING DAY, 3/28/2007, CDA WAS CONTACTED BY THE FM,S DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF WALTER STEVENS. HE NOTED THAT THE FM HAD DISCUSSED THE REQUEST WITHIN THE MINISTRY, BUT SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE (CHAIRED BY THE PM, INCLUDING THE FOREIGN MINISTER, MINISTER OF JUSTICE, MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, AND MINISTER OF DEFENSE.). STEVENS NOTED THAT WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT A RESPONSE UNTIL AFTER THE BELGIAN FEDERAL ELECTIONS ON JUNE 10. ¶4. (C/NF) COMMENT: BELGIUM REQUESTED AND OBTAINED RELEASE OF TWO BELGIAN GUANTANAMO DETAINEES IN 2005. BELGIAN LEGISLATION RESTRICTS SURVEILLANCE OF INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT UNCLASSIFIED EVIDENCE AVAILABLE TO THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, SIPDIS WHICH WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR THESE TWO DETAINEES. CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF NON-BELGIAN DETAINEES WILL LIKELY BE CONDITIONED ON PROVISION BY THE US OF DETAILED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION. SIPDIS ¶5. (C/NF) COMMENT (CONTINUED). THE BELGIAN POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IS IN FULL SWING AND WE DO NOT EXPECT THE INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE TO ENGAGE WITH THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, AND MOST LIKELY NOT UNTIL AFTER A NEW GOVERNMENT IS FORMED. IMBRIE .