NORWAY AGREES PIRACY COURT A BAD IDEA

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000389 SIPDIS FOR PM/PPA DAVID FORAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2019 TAGS: EWWT MARR PGOV PHSA PHUM PREL SUBJECT: NORWAY AGREES PIRACY COURT A BAD IDEA REF: STATE 58579 Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff discussed reftel demarche with Deputy Director Anita Nergard of the MFA Section for Global Security on June ¶10. Nergard said that Norway agreed with the US that the idea of an international tribunal to prosecute piracy suspects was a bad idea for the reasons we listed in reftel non-paper. Nergard especially noted the long-life, wind up and wind down costs, and possible reduction in magnitude of the problem off Somalia, all of which suggested an international tribunal was not the way to go. She said she had gathered this from discussions she has already had with the legal department on this issue, and promised to forward our non-paper to them. Poloff encouraged Norway to be "outspoken in its position" in the ongoing discussions, as indicated in reftel paragraph 3. WHITNEY