DOS Cable/letter from Colin L. Powell to ICRC President requesting access to the ICRC's confidential reports on visits to detention facilities in Iraq, Guantanamo and Afghanistan. The letter states that the reports will be disseminated, in strict confidence, to relevant congressional committees.
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL fij
Simone Whittemore 0515(2004 03:41:32 PM From 08.Thbor Simone Whittemore
Cable Text:
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM May 26, 2004
USMISSICN GENEVA - IMMEDIATE
To::
Origin::
L
SECSTATE WASKDC (STATE 118087 - IMMEDIATE)
From::
ICRC, KAWC, PHUM, AF, IZ
TAGS::
Captions: None
Subject: (CRC REPORTS CN IRAQ AND CONGRESSIONAL ACCESS
CUMMINGS/SOLOMON PHONECCN 5/25/04
Ref::
Classified By: E.O. 12958: DECL: E.0.12958: DECL: 5/25/14
1.(c) ICRC Washington Representative Girod and Legal Adviser
Oederlin met with State and Pentagon
lawyers on May 25 to consult on Congressional requests for access to
confidential ICRC reports to detention facilities. Girod indicated
that the ICRC Would be meeting on May 27 to discuss how to respond to
requests they have received directly from
Congress, including a letter to President Kellenberger from Senator
Byrd. Girod stressed the importance of maintaining confidentiality.
2.(C) We want to ensure that President Kellenberger has an
opportunity to give us his views. Ambassador is accordingly
requested to send the following letter.
3. (SBU) Begin text.
Dear President Kellenberger,
Several committees of the U.S. congress have requested copies of the
confidential ICRC reports on visits to detention facilities in Iraq,
as well as Guantanamo and Afghanistan. Because of current
investigations into detention conditions in Iraq, the Executive
Branch believes that it is approriate for committees of appropriate
jurisdiction of the Congress to have access to pertinent reports, on
conditions of strict confidentiality.
In our view, reports of this kind are critical to the ICRC's mission worldwide and needed to identify and prevent violations of the Geneva Conventions and to ensure humane treatment. We do not want to take steps that might jeopardize ICRC operations inadvertently, such as by discouraging cooperation at local levels. Accordingly, before making a final decision of the terms and conditions needed to protect confidentiality, we want to ensure that the ICRC has the opportunity to express any concerns that it might have. In particular, if you have views that you with to have conveyed to Congress, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Finally, our intention is to make the reports available on an exceptional basis given the ongoing investigations. We do not intend to provide such reports routinely.
END TEXT
POWELL
Additional Addressees:
None
cc:
CONFIDENTIAL. UNITED STATES DEPARTA4EN ! OF STATE 1
RELEASED IN FULL
CON E IOuvi tk
REVIENA' AUTHORITY: FRANI. r SCH\IELZER
UNCLASSIFIED
DATE/CASE ID: 30 SEP 2004 200303827
DOS-000286
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
JOINT STAFF WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC
Distribution:
TED2807 ORIGIN L-00
INFO LOG-00 AID-00 ANAD-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 VC-00 H-00 TEDE-00 10-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OIC-00 NINA-00 PA-00 FMPC-00 IRM-00 SS-00 PRM-00 DRL-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /001R
SOURCE: CBLKSS0.007190 DRAFTED BY: L/ACV:ECUMMINGS -- 05/26/2004 202-647-3596 APPROVED BY: L/ACV:WILLIAM H.TAFT IV
-WTAFT L/PM: - JDOLAN OSD/GC: - CALLEN/DELL'ORTO PRM: - RGREENE, SAC!: - RMILLER DESIRED DISTRIBUTION: H, L, PRM
241248 2616112 /38 0 2616082 MAY 04 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE INFO JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0810 SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6688
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 118087
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014 TAGS: AF, 12, KAWC, PHUN, ICRC SUBJECT: ICRC REPORTS ON 'RAO AND CONGRESSIONAL ACCESS
REF: CUMNINGS/SOLCNON PHONECON 5/25/04
End Cable Text
Simone Whittemore 0572612004 03:41:32 PM From OBIleihel: Shane Whittemore
CONFIDENTIAL
2
UNCLASSIFIED
DOS-000287