DISPOSITION OF PIRATE SUSPECTS FROM M/V AMIRA

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 053761 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2014 TAGS: KE KCRM KDEM PHSA PREL SUBJECT: DISPOSITION OF PIRATE SUSPECTS FROM M/V AMIRA REF: NAIROBI 1042 Classified By: James Knight; reasons 1.4 (B and D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request in response to reftel request for guidance. ¶2. (C) Seventeen suspected pirates are currently being held on the USS Gettysburg. Post should request, no later than May 27, that the GoK be prepared to accept the transfer, on or about June 2, of the 17 suspected pirates if USG efforts to identify an alternative place of prosecution are not successful. As noted in reftel, the United States is seeking the agreement of either Egypt or Greece, the two states most directly affected by the piracy incident in which the suspects are believed to have been involved, to accept the suspects for prosecution. Please advise as soon as possible of any response from GoK officials to the request. The Department will keep post apprised of responses from Cairo and Athens as they are received. CLINTON