State Department cable discusses comments by Canadian Defense Minister Art Eggleton and the Geneva Conventions application to terrorists in the modern era. Mr. Eggleton came under attack for comments he made that downplay the Geneva Conventions as a guiding force in the War on Terror. The cable also discusses trade relations and boarder security.
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SOURCE: . KODAKA.007065
DRAFTED BY: WHA/CAN:TTULENKO/PNORMAN/ERUNNING/WMCCULLA:ML: -- 02/07/02
APPROVED BY: WHA/CAN-NMASON
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CONFIDENTIALSTATE 024275
OFFICIAL INFORMAL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/07
TAGS: AMGT, CA
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL - DAILY ACTIVITIES REPORT
FEBRUARY 5-6, 2001
FOR AMB, DCM, POL AND ECON FROM DIRECTOR MASON
CLASSIFIED BY WHA/CAN DIRECTOR NANCY MASON.
REASON 1.5. (D).
1. (U) ACTIVITY REPORT, FEBRUARY 5, 2002
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2. (U) EGGLETON'S DETAINEE TROUBLES CONTINUE
DEFENSE MINISTER EGGLETON PROVOKED NEW OPPOSITION ATTACKS
IN PARLIAMENT ON MONDAY, WHEN HE APPEARED TO DOWNPLAY THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION DURING A WAR ON
TERRORISM. EGGLETON SAID "ALL OF THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS
WERE WRITTEN AT AN EARLIER TIME, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE
EASILY APPLICABLE TO THE CONDITIONS THAT EXIST TODAY."
OPPOSITION CRITICS USED EGGLETON'S REMARKS TO ACCUSE THE
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD
DOS-001895
DATE/CASE ID: 03 NOV 2004 200303827
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GOVERNMENT OF LETTING THE U.S. DETERMINE CANADIAN POLICY
AND CONTINUED TO PRESS FOR A BETTER EXPLANATION OF WHY
EGGLETON HAD NOT KEPT THE PRIME MINISTER INFORMED ABOUT
CANADIAN TROOPS TAKING PRISONERS..
IN DEFENDING EGGLETON
AND THE GOVERNMENT, DPM MANLEY NOTED THAT "SOME COMMENTS
OUT OF WASHINGTON HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THERE'S NO NEED FOR
A PROCESS. WE DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AROUND.".
(MCCULLA/PRESS)
3. (U) DEPUTY NWT PREMIER MEETING ON GAS PIPELINE
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES DEPUTY PREMIER JIM ANTOINE MET WITH
EB'S ENERGY OFFICE AND WHA/CAN THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS
PLANS FOR A GAS PIPELINE TO BRING MACKENZIE RIVER DELTA
GAS SOUTH TO THE U.S. ANTOINE SAID THE PROCESS FOR
SEEKING APPROVAL OF A STAND-ALONE PIPELINE WAS GETTING
UNDERWAY, WITH A TARGET FOR COMPLETION BY 2008. HE SOUGHT
AND RECEIVED OUR ASSURANCE THAT THE USG REMAINS NEUTRAL ON
THE QUESTION OF PIPELINE ROUTES AND THAT IT IS FOR
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INDUSTRY TO DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO BRING ALASKA AND NWT
GAS TO MARKET. (RUNNING)
PAGE 03.STATE.
4.
(U) ACTIVITY REPORT, FEBRUARY 6, 2002
5.
(C) SOFTWOOD LUMBER DISCUSSIONS RESUME IN. OTTAWA
U.S. TRADE OFFICIALS AND CANADIAN FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL
REPRESENTATIVES HAVE RESUMED THEIR "CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE"
IN HOPES OF REACHING A DURABLE SOLUTION TO THE DECADES-OLD
SOFTWOOD LUMBER TRADE DISPUTE. THEY ARE MEETING FEBRUARY
7 AND 8 IN OTTAWA. THE U.S. STILL HOPES TO REACH THE
OUTLINE OF AN AGREEMENT PRIOR TO COMMERCE RULINGS ON
AD/CVD INVESTIGATIONS (MARCH 21), DESPITE A WIDE GAP IN
THE POSITIONS OF THE TWO SIDES AND THE SHORT AMOUNT OF
TIME. (NORMAN/USTR).
6. (U) HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE CANADIAN
STYLE
COMMENTING ON THE FEBRUARY 2 DISCUSSIONS HE HAD WITH
HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR TOM RIDGE ON U.S.- CANADA
BORDER ISSUES, CANADIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER JOHN MANLEY
SAID, "QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK MOST CANADIANS REGARD THE
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BORDER AS AN IMPORTANT SECURITY BARRIER FOR US, GIVEN THAT
THERE ARE RATHER A LOT OF FIREARMS IN THE UNITED STATES
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DRUGS, HARD DRUGS, AND THERE'S CRIME
AND THERE ARE THINGS WE WANT TO CHECK AT THE BORDER."
DESPITE THIS COMMENT, BOTH SIDES BELIEVED THE TALKS WENT
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WELL. (NORMAN/PRESS)
7. (U) SENATORS CONCENTRATE ON BORDER ISSUES AND ECONOMIC
SECURITY
JOHN KEANE AND CAN MET TODAY WITH SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE
CANADIAN SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
AND DEFENSE. MANY OF THE SENATORS' COMMENTS WERE ABOUT
BORDER SECURITY AND THE NEED TO MINIMIZE DELAY IN THE
TRANSIT OF GOODS AND PEOPLE. THEY SOUGHT AND GOT
CONFIRMATION THAT THE GOC AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED IN USG DELIBERATIONS ON THE UNIFIED COMMAND
PLAN. .THEY SAID CONFUSION OVER U.S. CRITERIA FOR HANDLING
AFGHANISTAN DETAINEES WAS RAISING CRITICISM AMONG SOME
CANADIANS NORMALLY FRIENDLY TO THE U.S. CHAIRMAN CO1IN
KENNEY DELIVERED A MESSAGE FROM PM CHRETIEN URGING THE USG
TO TAKE BETTER ADVANTAGE OF CANADIAN ENERGY RESOURCES TO
DEVELOP MORE SECURE SUPPLIES. (TULENKO)
POWELL
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