Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS387
2007-02-05 14:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

URGENT NEED FOR RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT ON IRAQ

Tags:  PREL IZ BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #0387 0361409
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 051409Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4282
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000387 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR A/S FRIED FROM AMB TOM KOROLOGOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2011
TAGS: PREL IZ BE
SUBJECT: URGENT NEED FOR RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT ON IRAQ
QUERY

REF: A. BRUSSELS 329 AND B. 06 BRUSSELS 4193

Classified By: Ambassador Tom C Korologos, Reason 1.4 (B)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000387

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR A/S FRIED FROM AMB TOM KOROLOGOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2011
TAGS: PREL IZ BE
SUBJECT: URGENT NEED FOR RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT ON IRAQ
QUERY

REF: A. BRUSSELS 329 AND B. 06 BRUSSELS 4193

Classified By: Ambassador Tom C Korologos, Reason 1.4 (B)


1. (C) I would really appreciate it if you could take a look
at the two reftels. Both concern a Belgian being held in
Iraq who reportedly is awaiting sentencing, but who, again
reportedly, remains under USG custody. The Belgians have
been seeking our help in arranging his release. We have
succeeded in getting the Belgians to talk directly to the
Iraqi Ambassador here and in Amman about this case, and I
have flagged the matter for Zal in Baghdad also. Ref B asks
what we should tell the lawyers for the individual's family
who wrote us, and ref A is our request to Baghdad for the
Embassy's help in identifying who in the Iraqi government the
Belgians can meet with in Baghdad.


2. (C) All the foregoing is preface to the reason for this
cable. We need your help in shaking an answer out of the
U.S. bureaucracy to the questions posed in the reftels. Our
inability to give us something to say back to the Belgians
has become an embarrassment, not least because it is a major
issue for our contacts at the MFA and in their security
services.


3. (C) Getting an answer sooner rather than later will help
us head off a possible PR issue. While this case is becoming
known to an increasing number of people in Belgium, it so far
has not hit the media. I cannot guarantee that the Belgian
prisoner's lawyer will continue to play nice in the days
ahead if we decline to answer his letter. Please let us know
as soon as you can if you have been able to get the machine
moving. Regards. Korologos
.