PRC: RELEASE OF UIGHURS TO BERMUDA VIOLATES

S E C R E T BEIJING 001620 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, S/GC, AND S/WCI E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2029 TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL PTER KAWC KISL KPAO CH PS, UK SUBJECT: PRC: RELEASE OF UIGHURS TO BERMUDA VIOLATES SECURITY INTERESTS OF CHINA, SAYS MFA OFFICIAL REF: STATE 61326 (NOTAL) Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Mark Lambert, Reason s 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) The U.S. decision to release four Uighur detainees from Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility to Bermuda for resettlement had "seriously violated the legitimate sovereignty and national security interests of China" and China urged the United States to withdraw its plan to hand over Uighurs held at Guantanamo Bay to "a third party" or another country, MFA North American and Oceanian Affairs Department Americas Division Director An Gang told PolOff June 16 in response to points in ref A. ¶2. (S) Reading from a prepared text, Director An said that China had delivered serious representations on many occasions to the United States addressing the "Chinese Uighur terrorist suspects" at Guantanamo. Stating that China's positions was "clear and consistent," Director An maintained that the Uighurs at Guantanamo were members of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM),a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 Committee, and should be handed over to the Chinese side "to be dealt with according to the law." ¶3. (S) The U.S. decision to release the four Uighur detainees to Bermuda, according to Director An, not only violated the relevant UN Security Council resolution but also went against U.S. international counter-terrorism commitments. He went on to say that the U.S. action "put Bermuda and the region at risk" and "sent out the wrong message to ETIM." PolOff countered that the U.S. action sent no such message and that the United States opposed terrorism in all its forms and was committed to strengthening U.S.-China counterterrorism cooperation. UK Not Involved -------------- ¶4. (S) Director An also noted UK "unhappiness" with the decision and was aware that UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the Secretary had discussed the matter. PolOff stressed that the UK had no knowledge of and had not participated, directly or indirectly, in the discussions between the U.S. and Bermuda. PolOff assured Director An that the UK was only apprised of the agreement after it had been reached. PICCUTA