BOSNIA - AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ALGERIAN 6 WITH PM

S E C R E T SARAJEVO 001735

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI (WILLIAMSON, VIBUL-JOLLES),EUR
(JONES),AND EUR/SCE (FOOKS, STINCHCOMB)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER BK AG
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ALGERIAN 6 WITH PM
SPIRIC, SECURITY MINISTER SADOVIC AND JUSTICE MINISTER

COLAK

REF: A. SECSTATE 117141

B. SARAJEVO 1705

C. SARAJEVO 1723

Classified By: Ambassador Charles English for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S/NF) The Ambassador met separately on November 12 with
Prime Minister Spiric and on November 10 with Security
Minister Sadovic and Justice Minister Colak to convey points
about the possible return to Bosnia of some of the "Algerian
6" Guantanamo detainees (Ref A). The Ambassador stressed
that, while the USG has made specific requests of the Bosnian
government concerning the detainees, we are not asking
Bosnian authorities to do anything that would violate Bosnian
law. PM Spiric said that he understood the urgency of the
issue and the need to keep it out of the media. He told the
Ambassador that the possible return of detainees will be
discussed in a closed session of the Council of Ministers on
November 13. Spiric stressed that he wants to deal with this
issue in a "positive" way, but he added that the entire
Council of Ministers would have to make the decision. The
Ambassador suggested that he meet again with Spiric soon
after the Council of Ministers meeting to discuss the
situation and possible further steps.


2. (S/NF) Security Minister Sadovic told the Ambassador that
he would support some special measures such as surveillance
if detainees return to Bosnia. However, he stressed that any
attempt by the Bosnian government to deprive former detainees
of civil rights would encounter strong public opposition and
create additional difficulties for the Council of Ministers.
He also repeated the comments he made to S/WCI Ambassador
Clint Williamson (Ref B) that a finding by Bosnia's
intelligence service that the detainees are no longer a
"threat to national security" would facilitate the detainees'
return to Bosnia. He suggested that the US should share
information that supports such a finding with the head of the
intelligence service. Minister Colak had little new to add to
the discussion (Ref B),except to say that he hopes Bosnia
can resolve the issue of detainee returns expeditiously.
ENGLISH