CANADA PLANNING JUNE 23 REPATRIATION FOR ABDELRAZIK

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000478 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAN AND S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2019 TAGS: PTER PREL SU CA SUBJECT: CANADA PLANNING JUNE 23 REPATRIATION FOR ABDELRAZIK REF: A. OTTAWA 469 ¶B. OTTAWA 423 ¶C. OTTAWA 313 ¶D. 08 STATE 49579 ¶E. 08 OTTAWA 0616 OTTAWA 00000478 001.4 OF 002 Classified By: CDA Terry Breese, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- see para 6. ¶2. (S) Canada will not appeal the June 4 federal court ruling that the government must repatriate Abousfian Abdelrazik from Sudan and present him for a July 7 hearing in Montreal (Ref B),according to Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Acting Director of International Crime and Counterterrorism Chantal Meagher. She told acting Pol/C on June 17 that DFAIT plans to bring Abdelrazik back to Canada on June 23 using an Emirates Air flight. During a previously scheduled meeting on June 17, Canadian National Security Advisor Marie-Lucie Morin informed Charge Breese that Canada picked Emirates because it has a northerly route that will minimize the chance of Abdelrazik's plane straying into U.S. airspace due to emergent circumstances (i.e. weather or mechanical malfunction). ¶3. (S) Meagher added that DFAIT Counterterrorism Senior Coordinator Mark Gwozdecky had attempted to inform S/CT Ambassador Benjamin on June 17 of these developments via telephone. Due to Amb. Benjamin's unavailability she said the Canadian embassy left a letter from Gwozdecky outlining Canada's decision. After informing U.S. officials, Meagher noted that Canadian diplomats in New York were to inform the UN's 1267 Committee on June 17 of Canada's decision to repatriate Abdelrazik. ¶4. (S) Meagher underscored that a DFAIT consular official and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer will accompany Abdelrazik during his entire journey. She also promised that DFAIT will inform the U.S. -- most likely through the Canadian Embassy in Washington -- of Abdelrazik's specific flight information prior to departure. She warned that DFAIT is still not certain the Emirates flight plan will eventuate since the airline might deny boarding as part of its corporate risk management program. Meagher underlined a firm Canadian preference for a commercial flight to repatriate Abdelrazik, rather than milair. ¶5. (S) Meagher expressed Canada's intense interest in knowing whether the U.S. would actively or passively obstruct Abdelrazik's boarding in Sudan or in subsequent connecting flights. She inquired also about likely U.S. responses if Emirates Air officials query U.S. officials in Sudan or in connecting hubs on the advisability of transporting Abdelrazik. She asked whether the U.S. would be willing to tell inquiring aviation authorities that "the U.S. was aware of Canadian plans" to repatriate Abdelrazik. Acting Pol/C replied that he had no instructions on this point but that we had previously said (Ref D) "the U.S. Government is not in a position to assist with his repatriation." ¶6. (S) Action Request: Post requests guidance in responding to Canadian inquiries on Abdelrazik's repatriation. Post proposes to restate Ref D guidance generally. In particular we propose to underscore that: -- the decision to repatriate Abdelrazik properly belongs Q-- the decision to repatriate Abdelrazik properly belongs solely to Canada as a sovereign nation; -- the United States will not act to obstruct Abdelrazik's repatriation but will equally not assist in any such repatriation; and -- the United States requests that upon his return to Canada the Canadian government take appropriate measures to ensure he will not endanger the United States and its people. In regard to questions from airlines regarding Abdelrazik's suitability for boarding, post proposes that USG interlocutors simply state that Abdelrazik's name appears on U.S. "no-fly" lists due to his designation by the UN 1267 committee and offer no further comment. OTTAWA 00000478 002.4 OF 002 Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BREESE