This State Department cable is directed to the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland for a Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting on September 9-20, 2002. The talking points are as follows: The U.S. remains committed to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as we conduct the war against terrorism; We believe that the OSCE should renew its support for the Bucharest Ministerial Plan of Action, which affirms our commitments to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms in the fight against terrorism; In the past year there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents throughout the OSCE region; and Enemy combatants are being held in accordance with the law of armed conflict, which permits the United States to hold them for the duration of hostilities.
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UNCLASSIFIED
TELEGRAM September 11, 2002
RELEASED IN FULL
USMISSION USOSCE - IMMEDIATE
To:
Origin:
EUR
SECSTATE WASHDC (STATE 174094 - IMMEDIATE)
From:
OSCE, PHUM, PREL, PTER
TAGS:
Captions: None
Subject: OSCE: PRESS GUIDANCE FOR OSCE HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING
Ref:
None
1. Department provides the following guidance for
Mission to draw upon as appropriate concerning respect
for human rights and the war on terrorism at the OSCE
Human Dimension Implementation Review Meeting.
BEGIN POINTS:
-- The U.S. remains committed to respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms as we conduct the war
against terrorism. As Secretary Powell said August 1,
"If we are to prevail in this conflict, we must do so in
a way that respects both human dignity and the rights of
all men and women."
-- The U.S. strongly supports the OSCE's role in
championing human rights among its member states,
particularly through its annual human rights conference,
the Human Dimension Implementing Meeting, which convenes
in Warsaw, Poland during September 9-20.
-- Nowhere can the United States and its OSCE partners
better discuss such issues as:
--Respect for Human Rights in the Fight against
Terrorism, including condemnation of revenge attacks
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against Muslims;
--Internally Displaced Persons; and
--Anti-Semitism.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM
-- We believe that the OSCE should renew its support for
the Bucharest Ministerial Plan of Action, which affirms
our commitments to respect human rights and fundamental
freedoms in the fight against terrorism. We also
believe it might be good to use elements from the
Bishkek conference document. Specifically, we would
seek to reiterate our rejection of the notion that
terrorism is associated with any particular religion or
culture, while pointing out that terrorists who claim to
be acting on behalf of their religion are distorting the
principles of that religion. We should also condemn the
-rise in anti-Islamic sentiment since September 11, urge
government officials to make public statements against
anti-Islamic sentiment, and urge governments to
apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of such incidents.
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
-- U.S. seeks a commitment among OSCE member states to
respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of
IDPs, including the rights to freedom of thought,
freedom of association, election voting, and -freedom of
movement. At the same time, we believe any ministerial
commitment should also reaffirm existing Lisbon and
Istanbul commitments to facilitating voluntary returns,
as a response to the current problems in Chechnya.
ANTI-SEMITISM
-- In the past year there has been an increase in
anti-Semitic incidents throughout the OSCE region. We
believe the current rise in violence warrants a
condemnation of the incidents by our Ministers.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
--We also look forward to efforts dealing with rights of
Roma/Sinti, and preventing trafficking in persons.
IF ASKED
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GTMO
-- Individuals detained at Guantanamo are enemy
combatants captured in an on-going armed conflict
involving attacks against the United States, its
citizens and citizens of numerous other nations.
-- Enemy combatants were detained during hostilities
and pose a security threat to the United States and
Coalition partners.
-- Enemy combatants are being held in accordance with
the law of armed conflict, which permits the United
States to hold them for the duration of hostilities.
-- The law of armed conflict permits the USG to detain
an enemy combatant regardless of whether criminal
charges can be brought against him. The act of
detaining enemy combatants is not an act of punishment..
Rather, it is to prevent enemy combatants from
continuing to fight against us.
-- As long as hostilities continue, the USG must-as a
matter of national security, military necessity, and
common sense continue to detain enemy combatants who
could rejoin the fight against us if provided the
opportunity.
-- The United States is treating all enemy combatants
humanely and, consistent with military necessity, in a
manner consistent with the principles of the Third
Geneva Convention of 1949. Representatives of the
International Committee of the Red Cross visit
Guantanamo, and meet with enemy combatants individually
and privately.
END POINTS
POWELL
Additional Addressees:
AMEMBASSY WARSAW
CC:
Distribution:
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