PORTUGAL REQUESTS TWO SPECIFIC GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 000399 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER MARR MOPS PO SUBJECT: PORTUGAL REQUESTS TWO SPECIFIC GUANTANAMO DETAINEES REF: B.JOHNSON/R.REITER 22JUL09 EMAIL Classified By: POL/ECON COUNSELOR RICHARD REITER, FOR 1.4 B AND D. ¶1. (C/NF) On July 23, Portuguese MFA PolDir Nuno Brito called in Charge d'Affaires and Pol/Econ Counselor to pass the names of two Guantanamo detainees that Portugal is willing to accept for resettlement at this time. The two are Muhammad KHANTUMANI (SY-312) and Moammar Badawi DOKHAN (SY-317). Portugal requests an early response from Washington so that planning for the transfer can begin. ¶2. (C/NF) Brito told us that "a very small circle" at the highest levels of the Portuguese government were involved in this decision. Recognizing that FM Amado had previously committed to accepting "up to three" detainees, Brito said Portugal remains open to reviewing files of other detainees in the future, but will not/not accept any others among the eight whose files it has already reviewed. Brito specifically said that while Portugal is willing to accept the younger Khantumani, it will not/not accept the elder Khantumani, even though there may be pressure to do so. He added that there was consensus within the Portuguese inter-agency on these two names, including the intel services who will be responsible for monitoring them in Portugal. Brito requested that Washington give a green light to transferring these two individuals as soon as possible. MODALITIES COME NEXT -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) Brito noted that the GOP is still discussing the status that the two will have in Portugal, but is contemplating issuing them some sort of temporary visa, as France is doing. The GOP requests total secrecy until the detainees arrive in Portugal, because ForMin Amado will have to inform the Syrian government ("not request permission, but inform", insisted Brito); and will also need to brief other EU members. Once Washington gives a green light that these two detainees are cleared for resettlement in Portugal, the GOP will quickly start discussing modalities of the transfer with us, and will also start discussions with the detainees' lawyers. TUNISIANS TOO COMPLICATED -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) Despite the GOP's earlier willingness to consider Tunisian detainees, Brito said that the GOP had been pressured by Tunisia. Portugal will no longer consider Tunisians, whom he called "too complicated" to accept. CHANNEL VIA LISBON -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) Brito mentioned that, while he will brief Portuguese Ambassador in Washington De Valera on these developments, for (unspecified) reasons of security he prefers that Embassy Lisbon continue to be the channel for exchanging information on this issue, rather than the Portuguese embassy in Washington. ¶6. (C/NF) Responding to a prior GOP question, Charge d'Affaires advised Brito, per ref A, that Washington has confirmed that neither of the two detainees overflew Portuguese airspace on the way to Guantanamo. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C/NF) FM Amado and Ambassador Brito have been extraordinarily helpful and forward-leaning on the Guantanamo issue, dating back to Amado's December 2008 letter to other European Foreign Ministers that broke the Guantanamo taboo at the EU. Post recommends that Washington give quick and favorable consideration to the Portuguese request to accept these two detainees for resettlement. Post stands ready to start discussions with the GOP to resolve issues regarding the actual transfer. For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal, please see our Intelink site: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal BALLARD