State Department cable describing how Former Portuguese Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral gave a speech bashing the U.S. Government for/on the war on terror and counter-terror policies. The main criticism is that the U.S. is not listening to its European colleagues ion the policies to fight international terrorism; the U.S. is violating international law; and is stifling domestic debate.
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 1
•
, ,A Current Handling: n/aAUNCLASSIFIED Document Number: 2002LISBON00347 Channel: n/a
CONFIDENTIALA
PT09686
RELEASED IN PART
PAGE 01ALISBON 00347 2719082
ACTION SCT-00 Bl, 1.4(D)
INFO LOG-00 NP-00AAID-00AA-00AACQ-00ACA-01ACCO-00
CG-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00ADODE-00 •DOEE-00
DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00AEB-00AEUR-00AE-00AFAAE-00
FBIE-00 VC-00AH-01ATEDE-00 INR-00AINSE-00
LAB-01 L-00AVCE-00AM-00AAC-01ADCP-01ANRCE-00
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-03AOMB-01AOPIC-01 PA-00APC-01
PM-00 PRS-00AACE-00AP-00ASP-00ASSO-00ATRSE-00
USIE-00 USSS-00 ASDS-01 EPAE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02AG-00ANFAT-00 SAS-00A/014W
A6CAE06 2719482 /38
R 271621Z FEB 02
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7859
C ONFIDENTIALLISBON 000347
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2005
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER BASHES USG
1.
CLASSIFIED BY POL/ECON COUNSELOR ROBERT I. BLAU,
REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D).
2.
(U) AT A MONDAY FEBRUARY 25 CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY
THE MARIO SOARES FOUNDATION, FORMER RIGHT WING FOREIGN
MINISTER DIOGO FREITAS DO AMARAL GAVE A SPEECH STRONGLY
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02ALISBON 00347 271908Z
CRITICAL OF THE USG'S COUNTERTERRORISM POLICIES. HIS
REMARKS, ENTITLED "THE SEARCH FOR A NEW BALANCE BETWEEN
NATIONAL SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS" FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY
ON THE UNITED STATES, HITTING THE FOLLOWING THEMES:
-- THE USG ACTS UNILATERALLY AND DOES NOT EITHER LISTEN
TO OR CONSULT WITH ITS EUROPEAN ALLIES;
-- MILITARY TRIBUNALS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CASES OF
CAPTURED TERRORISTS;
-- THE US IS VIOLATING INTERNATIONALLY RESPECTED HUMAN
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 1
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL REASON: 1.4(D) DECLASSIFY AFTER: 26 FEB 2012
DOS-002055
DATE/CASE ID: 10 NOV 2004 200303827
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 2 . Current Handling: n/aAUNCLASSIFIED Document Number: 2002LISBON00347 Channel: n/a
RIGHTS AND THE GENEVA CONVENTION IN THE WAY IT IS
HANDLING THE PRISONERS AT GUANTANAMO;
-- THE US DOES NOT RESPECT INTERNATIONAL LAW; IT ONLY
GOES ALONG WITH WHATEVER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS THAT
SUIT ITS INTERESTS;
-- THE USG IS STIFLING DOMESTIC DEMOCRATIC DEBATE ON
TERRORISM.
3. (U) POL/ECON COUNS WAS PRESENT AND DID AS MUCH OF A
REBUTTAL AS POSSIBLE DURING THE Q&A SESSION, BEGINNING
WITH A COMPLAINT TO MODERATOR (FORMER PORTUGUESE
PRESIDENT) MARIO SOARES THAT THESE KINDS OF SEMINARS
SHOULD HAVE A PLACE AT THE SPEECHMAKING TABLE FOR A USG
REPRESENTATIVE IN THE INTEREST OF "EQUAL TIME." ON
SUBSTANCE, P/E COUNS DREW FROM DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE ON
GUANTANAMO PRISONERS; SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION'S
POLICIES HAD OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE US PUBLIC;
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03ALISBON 00347 2719082
QUESTIONED WHY THE SPEAKER DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT THE HUMAN
RIGHTS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS WHOSE LIVES ARE SPARED BY
USE OF INFORMATION GLEANED FROM INTERROGATIONS; AND
STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT LIMITATION IN THE
USA ON FREE SPEECH, SINCE CRITICISM OF MILITARY TRIBUNALS
AND APPLICATION OR NOT OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION HAS BEEN
FULLY AIRED IN THE US MEDIA. FINALLY, AS TO WHETHER OR
NOT THE USG LISTENS TO EUROPE, P/E COUNS SAID WE WERE
LISTENING AND CONSULTING, BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN THAT WE
ALWAYS AGREED.
4. (C) COMMENT: DIOGO FREITAS DO AMARAL WAS FOUNDER OF
THE RIGHTIST CDS/PP PARTY AND WAS FOREIGN MINISTER IN A
COALITION GOVERNMENT WITH THE CENTER-RIGHT SOCIAL
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PSD) IN THE EARLY 1980S. HE WAS AN
UNSUCCESSFUL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN 1986. HE HAS
PREVIOUSLY TAKEN POSITIONS CRITICAL OF THE USG, FOR
EXAMPLE OUR NOT DEALING WITH THE 1998 CRISIS IN KOSOVO
THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS.
1BUT FUZZY THINKING WHICH NEEDS TO BE
CHALLENGED WHENEVER POSSIBLE. AMBASSADOR IS SPOKE ON THIS
SAME GENERAL SUBJECT ON WEDNESDAY; POST APPRECIATES
WASHINGTON'S USEFUL AND REGULAR GUIDANCE ON OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM AND WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK WAYS TO INSERT
B1
Current Class: CONFIDENTIALA Page: 2
DOS-002056
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 3
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002GENEVA00661 Channel: n/a
5. (U) ALSO WHILE IN WASHINGTON, SHE WILL REVIEW THE CURRENT
STAFFING OF THE ICRC DELEGATION IN WASHINGTON IN LIGHT OF NEW
RESPONSIBILITIES SINCE SEPTEMBER 11 TO ENSURE ADEQUATE
STAFFING COVERAGE. SHE NOTED A NEW OPENING IN THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH AMERICAN RED CROSS WHICH WISHES TO HAVE
BETTER COOPERATION IN THE COMMUNICATION FIELD AND HAS GIVEN
ICRC A GREEN LIGHT TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON ICRC AND
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW TO AMERICAN RED CROSS CHAPTERS
CONFIDENTIAL
PTQ5077
CONFIDENTIALA
PAGE 01AGENEVA 00661 02 OF 02 220622Z
ACTION PRM-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00ACIAE-00 SRPP-00
AMAD-00 CA-01A
EUR-00AE-00 VC-00A10-00A
TEDE-00 INR-00ALAB-01
L-00AAC-01ADCP-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00
VCE-00 NEA-00A
OCS-03APM-00ASS-00ASNIS-00
OIC-02 ACE-00ASA-00A
NISC-00 SSD-00 PMB-00 ADRL-02ASAS-00A/011W
A6A3EB6 220622Z /38
R 220610Z FEB 02
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6498
INFO AMEMBASSY BERN
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY LONDON
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 3
DOS-002057
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIPage: 3
INCLASSIFIED
-
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002LISBON00347 Channel: n/a
ITSELF IN THIS DEBATE.
PALMER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 LISBON 00347 271908Z
CONFIDENTIAL
« END OF DOCUMENT »
Current Class: CONFIDENTIALA Page: 3
DOS-002058
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 4
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002GENEVA00661 Channel: n/a
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMEMBASSY PARIS
USEU BRUSSELS
USMISSION USNATO
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
NSC WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 02 GENEVA 000661
STATE FOR PRM, AND L, ISLAMABAD AND BRUSSELS FOR REFCOORDS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2007
TAGS: PREF, PARM, MCAP, ICRC
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02AGENEVA 00661 02 OF 02 220622Z
SUBJECT: ICRC: REQUEST ACCESS TO US-HELD DETAINEES
AND SHE WISHES TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY.
'6. (U) ON THE SUBJECT OF COMMUNICATION, MEGEVAND-ROGGO NOTED
THAT ICRC IS CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO RESPOND TO PRESS
ARTICLES SUCH AS THE FEBRUARY 17 SUNDAY WASHINGTON POST
ARTICLE BY DAVID MONTGOMERY ON THE GENEVA CONVENTION. IN
GENERAL, ICRC HAS TAKEN THE VIEW THAT IT IS BEST NOT TO
RESPOND. HOWEVER, ICRC IS CONCERNED THAT ARTICLES OF THIS
TYPE CHIP AWAY AT THE REAL VALUE OF THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS.
THEY ARE CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO DEAL WITH SUCH PRESS PIECES
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 4
DOS-002059
UNCLASSIFIED
. .A
.
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 5
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002GENEVA00661 Channel: n/a
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 GENEVA 00661 02 OF 02 220622Z
MOLEY
CONFIDENTIAL
« END OF DOCUMENT »
Current Class: CONFIDENTIALA Page: 5
DOS-002060
UNCLASSIFIED