LIBYA/PA103: QADHAFI LETTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 051304 E.O. 12958: 03/18/04 TAGS: PREL UNSC PTER ETTC SA LY SUBJECT: LIBYA/PA103: QADHAFI LETTER REF: (A) STATE 47572, (B) LONDON 2298, (C) USUN 664, (D) STATE 48826 CLASSIFIED BY IO ASSISTANT SECRETARY DAVID WELCH. REASON: 1.5(B,D). ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE. ¶2. (C) THE LETTER WHICH QADHAFI PROVIDED TO PRESIDENT MANDELA 3/19 APPEARS TO REPRESENT PROGRESS TOWARD LIBYAN COMPLIANCE WITH UNSCR 1192. ACCORDINGLY, USUN SHOULD APPROACH THE SYG AT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE IN PARA 3. APPROACH TO THE SYG SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH UKUN IF POSSIBLE. ¶3. (C) BEGIN TALKING POINTS: -- THE MARCH 19 LETTER FROM COLONEL QADHAFI APPEARS POSITIVE AND SIGNIFICANT. -- ONCE AGAIN, WE COMMEND YOUR EFFORTS TO DATE TO OBTAIN LIBYAN COMPLIANCE WITH RESOLUTION 1192, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO SEE THE ISSUE TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. -- WE WOULD APPRECIATE AN UPDATE ON STATUS OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRANSFERRING THE SUSPECTS TO DUTCH CUSTODY. WE URGE YOU TO PUT THOSE ARRANGEMENTS INTO MOTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. -- WE BELIEVE THAT PRIORITY NOW MUST BE ON EFFECTING TRANSFER, RATHER THAN ON FURTHER DISCUSSION OF POST- TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS. -- WE RECONFIRM OUR READINESS -- AFTER THE TWO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED -- TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND OUR BRITISH COUNTERPARTS, IN A MEETING WHICH INCLUDES LIBYAN REPRESENTATION, TO DISCUSS FURTHER REQUIREMENTS. -- IT IS OUR VIEW THAT EXISTING SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE CONTENTS OF THE MARCH 19 LIBYAN LETTER. -- NOW THAT THE LIBYAN RESPONSE IS IN HAND, HOWEVER, WE WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING A COPY OF YOUR MESSAGE TO COLONEL QADHAFI. -- ONCE WE HAVE THE COMPLETE CORRESPONDENCE FILE, INCLUDING YOUR LETTER, WE CAN ASSESS WHETHER FURTHER STEPS ARE WARRANTED. -- AGAIN, WE WANT TO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH YOU TO ENSURE A POSITIVE CONCLUSION TO THIS ISSUE. END TALKING POINTS. ¶4. (C) FYI: ONCE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW SYG'S LETTER TO QADHAFI, WE MAY SUGGEST TO HIM THAT THE RECORD OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE SECRETARIAT AND THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT ON PA 103 BE CIRCULATED AS SECURITY COUNCIL DOCUMENTS. ALBRIGHT