REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000674 DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI TONY RICCI AND EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018 TAGS: KDRG PHUM PINR PTER AS SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES REF: STATE 70682 Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Polcouns and POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Craig Chittick, Assistant Secretary, United States Branch, of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Chittick said the decision of the Australian Government - taken by the Cabinet after advice from all relevant government agencies - was that it could make no special provision for the admission of the Uighur detainees. ¶2. (C) The detainees would be free to apply for admission to Australia for humanitarian resettlement like any other refugee but they could receive no special treatment or consideration. Chittick also noted that given the security concerns surrounding the Uighurs, the chances of their being granted asylum in Australia if they applied were not high. Chittick thanked us for the offer of an opportunity to visit the detainees in Guantanamo but said such a visit was unnecessary, given the GOA's decision. MCCALLUM