Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD3418
2008-10-29 13:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR CONVOKED OVER U.S. ATTACKS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003418
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PK, PTER, PREL, TFIN, ETRD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CONVOKED OVER U.S. ATTACKS
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003418
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PK, PTER, PREL, TFIN, ETRD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CONVOKED OVER U.S. ATTACKS
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (C) Summary: On October 29, Pakistani Acting Foreign
Secretary Khalid Babar convoked Ambassador to raise several
recent hot-button issues. In response to a Pakistani Senate
resolution, Secretary Babar raised protests against alleged
U.S. attacks inside Pakistani territory. He reiterated MFA
requests to repatriate Aafia Siddiqi and pushed back on
pending 1267 cases. The protests were largely pro forma but
the meeting is already being reported in Pakistani press as
MFA's "strong protest" against U.S. violations of
sovereignty. End Summary.
2. (C) On October 27, the Pakistani Senate passed a
resolution strongly condemning alleged attacks by U.S. drones
in Pakistani territory. The Senators called upon the GOP to
convey this protest to U.S. and NATO/ISAF authorities. In
response, Acting Foreign Minister Khalid Babar convoked
Ambassador to register their ongoing complaints. Babar
repeated previous GOP statements condemning the violation of
territorial integrity and also reiterated that such attacks
undermine political solutions in the tribal areas of
Pakistan. Ambassador noted the ongoing and successful
military cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan.
3. (C) Babar also raised concern about Dr. Aafia Siddiqi's
repatriation and the whereabouts of her two young children.
Ambassador made it clear that U.S. authorities do not know
the whereabouts of the children, who have never been in U.S.
custody, and noted that the Pakistani Embassy has been given
full consular access to Siddiqi. Babar was aware that
Siddiqi is currently being assessed for mental fitness to
stand trial in the U.S., but noted that the MFA had been
required to report to the Islamabad High Court on a case
demanding that the GOP repatriate Siddiqi.
4. (C) Babar lastly raised the issue of 1267 case statements,
particularly four new cases including that of former Director
General of ISI Hamid Gul. Babar requested that the case
statements include more verifiable evidence so that the GOP
would not block them. He suggested that more intelligence
sharing early in the process would expedite these cases and
highlighted cases regarding terrorism financing where
technical evidence might be shared. Additionally, he
suggested that the cases be disaggregated to allow the easy
one to go forward faster. By submitting the 1267 cases in a
block, the GOP refuses them in a block as well even if some
would pass independently.
5. (C) Comment: Despite the MFA's media statement, Babar
delivered his concerns in a pro forma manner. We have told
the MFA repeatedly that there currently is no legal basis to
repatriate Siddiqi, and we have no idea on the location of
her other two children.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PK, PTER, PREL, TFIN, ETRD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CONVOKED OVER U.S. ATTACKS
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (C) Summary: On October 29, Pakistani Acting Foreign
Secretary Khalid Babar convoked Ambassador to raise several
recent hot-button issues. In response to a Pakistani Senate
resolution, Secretary Babar raised protests against alleged
U.S. attacks inside Pakistani territory. He reiterated MFA
requests to repatriate Aafia Siddiqi and pushed back on
pending 1267 cases. The protests were largely pro forma but
the meeting is already being reported in Pakistani press as
MFA's "strong protest" against U.S. violations of
sovereignty. End Summary.
2. (C) On October 27, the Pakistani Senate passed a
resolution strongly condemning alleged attacks by U.S. drones
in Pakistani territory. The Senators called upon the GOP to
convey this protest to U.S. and NATO/ISAF authorities. In
response, Acting Foreign Minister Khalid Babar convoked
Ambassador to register their ongoing complaints. Babar
repeated previous GOP statements condemning the violation of
territorial integrity and also reiterated that such attacks
undermine political solutions in the tribal areas of
Pakistan. Ambassador noted the ongoing and successful
military cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan.
3. (C) Babar also raised concern about Dr. Aafia Siddiqi's
repatriation and the whereabouts of her two young children.
Ambassador made it clear that U.S. authorities do not know
the whereabouts of the children, who have never been in U.S.
custody, and noted that the Pakistani Embassy has been given
full consular access to Siddiqi. Babar was aware that
Siddiqi is currently being assessed for mental fitness to
stand trial in the U.S., but noted that the MFA had been
required to report to the Islamabad High Court on a case
demanding that the GOP repatriate Siddiqi.
4. (C) Babar lastly raised the issue of 1267 case statements,
particularly four new cases including that of former Director
General of ISI Hamid Gul. Babar requested that the case
statements include more verifiable evidence so that the GOP
would not block them. He suggested that more intelligence
sharing early in the process would expedite these cases and
highlighted cases regarding terrorism financing where
technical evidence might be shared. Additionally, he
suggested that the cases be disaggregated to allow the easy
one to go forward faster. By submitting the 1267 cases in a
block, the GOP refuses them in a block as well even if some
would pass independently.
5. (C) Comment: Despite the MFA's media statement, Babar
delivered his concerns in a pro forma manner. We have told
the MFA repeatedly that there currently is no legal basis to
repatriate Siddiqi, and we have no idea on the location of
her other two children.
PATTERSON