NORWEGIANS WILLING TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000679

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2018
TAGS: PTER NO
SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS WILLING TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING
GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Meeting with Senior Advisor Anniken Enersen of the
legal staff at the MFA on other counterterrorism matters,
poloff raised the issue of Norway potentially accepting
Guantanamo detainees. Enersen said that the matter was being
"talked about" within the section and in the press, and said
that the GON was "expecting" a "formal" request from the USG
once President elect Obama takes office, which would be "very
carefully considered." Any decision would be taken at a
"high political level."


2. (C) Enersen said that, in her opinion, there was no
appetite to acquiesce to requests from the Bush
administration. She implied that a request from the new Obama
administration would be viewed quite differently. Legal
department officials had been asked directly by Ambassador
Clint Williamson if Norway would be willing to accept
detainees during a meeting in late September. At that time,
Norwegian officials clearly had no interest in such a
request.


3. (C) Comment: Enersen's comments to poloff should be viewed
for what they are: comments by a mid-level official who
nonetheless is privy to the general atmosphere in the legal
department of the MFA. Post does not doubt that if a
"formal" request would come from the Obama administration,
Norway would "carefully consider" it and not just give a
knee-jerk no as they have done earlier. This does not
guarantee a favorable response, but post suggests that as
soon as possible after the inauguration, a request in the
form of a letter from a high-ranking US official should be
delivered to the Norwegians. End Comment.
JOHNSON