State Department cable describing discussion in the UK Parliament concerning the treatment and continued detention of UK citizens held at Guantanamo. PM Tony Blair was questioned by opposition members about the UK's access to British citizens and how they are being treated in detention as well as their legal status and rights. Large portions of the cable are redacted.
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CONFIDENTIAL PT06345 RELEASED IN PART
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5900B1 170728Z /38
0 170730Z JAN 02
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5624
INFO USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC
CONFIDENTIALLONDON 000329
STATE FOR S/WCI, L, AND EUR/UBI. DOD FOR OSD/SOLIC:HOLLIS
AND OGC:DAVIDSON. NSC FOR LEGAL:BELLINGER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2012
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KAWC, UK
B1
SUBJECT:
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM GLYN DAVIES. REASONS 1.5 (B), (D).
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD
DATE/CASE ID: 02 NOV 2004 200303827 UNCLASSIFIED DOS-001966
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PM BLAIR SAYS A UK TEAM WILL VISIT DETAINEES
3. (U) PM BLAIR WAS CHALLENGED BY ONE OF HIS OWN
BACKBENCHERS IN PARLIAMENT JANUARY 16 ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF
UK CITIZEN DETAINEES, WHETHER THE UK HAS BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO
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THEM, AND WHETHER THE COALITION IS LOSING THE MORAL HIGH
GROUND IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM. BLAIR TOLD THE COMMONS THAT
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN IS NOT OVER, AND AL QAEDA AND TALIBAN
DETAINEES ARE STILL VERY DANGEROUS PEOPLE AND MUST BE TREATED
AS SUCH.
4.
(U) BLAIR SAID ALL DETAINEES SHOULD BE TREATED HUMANELY
"IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND PROPER
INTERNATIONAL LAW," AND THAT THE USG HAS ASSURED THE UK
GOVERNMENT THAT IS BEING DONE. HE SAID A BRITISH TEAM "WILL"
SEE THE UK DETAINEES IN CUBA TO ASCERTAIN THEIR WELL BEING.
BLAIR CAUTIONED MPS TO RESERVE JUDGMENT ON THE CONDITION OF
THE DETAINEES UNTIL THEY HEAR WHAT THE RESPECTIVE ICRC AND UK
TEAMS LEARN DURING THEIR VISITS TO CUBA.
5.
(U) LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER CHARLES KENNEDY PRESSED
BLAIR FURTHER ABOUT UK CITIZENS BEING SHACKLED, SEDATED, AND
HOODED WHILE IN TRANSIT TO CUBA. BLAIR REPEATED THAT PEOPLE
SHOULD WAIT TO HEAR WHAT THE VISITING TEAMS REPORT BEFORE
MAKING UP THEIR MINDS. HE WAS FURTHER ASKED BY "OLD LABOR"
STALWART TAM DALYALL WHY THE BOMBING OF AFGHANISTAN IS
CONTINUING. BLAIR REITERATED THAT IT IS BECAUSE THE WAR HAS
NOT ENDED.
6.
(U) ALL MEDIA -- EVEN TRADITIONALLY PRO-AMERICAN
BROADSHEETS -- CARRY A DRUMBEAT OF CALLS FOR THE GOVERNMENT
TO ENSURE ITS CITIZENS ARE TREATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
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DOS-001967
UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED
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INTERNATIONAL LAW. PRESSURE HAS BUILT UP OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL DAYS, WITH INFLUENTIAL TV AND RADIO NEWS PROGRAMS
DEVOTING LENGTHY SEGMENTS TO THE ISSUE.
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DAVIES
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. END OF DOCUMENT ยป
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DOS-001968
UNCLASSIFIED