Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09OTTAWA430
2009-06-05 16:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:
CANADA DECLINES UIGHUR DETAINEES
how-toVZCZCXRO1929 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHMT RUEHNP RUEHQU RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVC DE RUEHOT #0430 1561634 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051634Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9509 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000430
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/WCI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM CA
SUBJECT: CANADA DECLINES UIGHUR DETAINEES
REF: A. OTTAWA 374
B. OTTAWA 313
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000430
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/WCI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM CA
SUBJECT: CANADA DECLINES UIGHUR DETAINEES
REF: A. OTTAWA 374
B. OTTAWA 313
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman Kory
Teneycke on June 4 confirmed to the media that Canada had
declined requests from the Obama and Bush Administrations to
take any Uighur detainees from Guantanamo Bay, noting "given
that these detainees have no link with Canada...I do not see
our policy changing. I don't see us taking any detainees
from Guantanamo." He underscored that "in the cases of the
Uighurs and other Guantanamo Bay detainees, Canada has no
interest." When asked about a possible effect on
U.S.-Canadian relations, he added that "I anticipate that the
relationship will be unaffected by this."
2. (C) The Prime Minister's principal secretary Ray Novak
had informed CDA late on June 3 about this decision and the
planned announcement. He indicated that the government's
earlier decisions not to seek the repatriation of Canadian
detainee Omar Khadr -- despite an April 23 Federal court
decision ordering the government to do just that (ref b),
which the government has now appealed -- would make it
politically impossible now to accept the Uighurs.
3. (C) Assistant to the Cabinet for Foreign and Defence
Policy Gordon Venner confirmed to PolMinCouns on June 5 that
this decision was final and that Embassy could so inform
Special Envoy Fried (ref a). He admitted puzzlement about
the timing and reason for the public announcement, and
indicated that the Prime Minister's Office had essentially
pre-empted both the Privy Council Office and the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in reaching this
decision. He noted his understanding that this policy
decision would also apply to the three Uighurs seeking
refugee status in Canada.
Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap /
BREESE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/WCI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM CA
SUBJECT: CANADA DECLINES UIGHUR DETAINEES
REF: A. OTTAWA 374
B. OTTAWA 313
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman Kory
Teneycke on June 4 confirmed to the media that Canada had
declined requests from the Obama and Bush Administrations to
take any Uighur detainees from Guantanamo Bay, noting "given
that these detainees have no link with Canada...I do not see
our policy changing. I don't see us taking any detainees
from Guantanamo." He underscored that "in the cases of the
Uighurs and other Guantanamo Bay detainees, Canada has no
interest." When asked about a possible effect on
U.S.-Canadian relations, he added that "I anticipate that the
relationship will be unaffected by this."
2. (C) The Prime Minister's principal secretary Ray Novak
had informed CDA late on June 3 about this decision and the
planned announcement. He indicated that the government's
earlier decisions not to seek the repatriation of Canadian
detainee Omar Khadr -- despite an April 23 Federal court
decision ordering the government to do just that (ref b),
which the government has now appealed -- would make it
politically impossible now to accept the Uighurs.
3. (C) Assistant to the Cabinet for Foreign and Defence
Policy Gordon Venner confirmed to PolMinCouns on June 5 that
this decision was final and that Embassy could so inform
Special Envoy Fried (ref a). He admitted puzzlement about
the timing and reason for the public announcement, and
indicated that the Prime Minister's Office had essentially
pre-empted both the Privy Council Office and the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in reaching this
decision. He noted his understanding that this policy
decision would also apply to the three Uighurs seeking
refugee status in Canada.
Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap /
BREESE