Cablegate: Brazil: Request for Resettlement Assistance for Detainees at Guantanamo

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

171835Z Oct 05

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 002767

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2015
TAGS: MOPS PREL PTER PHUM PREF PINR BR TIP
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO

REF: A. STATE 183800 B. BRASILIA 1396 Classified By: Political Officer Bisola Ojikutu for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1. (U) This is an action cable. Please see paragraph four for action request.

2. (U) On October 13, poloff delivered reftel talking points to Marcelo Bohlke at Brazil's Ministry of External Relations United Nations Division (DNU). Poloff also provided points to Marcia Ramos at the Ministry's Human Rights Division (DDH) and Marcelo Fagundes at the International Organizations Division (DOI) on October 14.

3. (C) Ramos told poloff that the GOB cannot accept Guantanamo Bay migrants because it is illegal to designate someone not on Brazilian soil a refugee. According to the Brazilian National Committee for Refugees (CONARE), refugee status in Brazil for an applicant abroad is not usually granted until after the refugee has received refugee status from the country where the refugee is located when petitioning for status in Brazil (in this case, the U.S.). The GOB and CONARE believe that the migrants at Guantanamo Bay do not fit into this category because the USG has not "formally recognized" them as refugees. If they were formally recognized, the USG would allow resettlement in the U.S., a CONARE representative told poloff during a similar discussion in May. CONARE also told poloff that the GOB's position on accepting refugees from Guantanamo Bay, regardless of nationality, has not changed since 2003 and will likely not change in the foreseeable future.

4. (SBU) Action Request: Bohlke said he understood the urgency of our request, he told poloff that the GOB would "probably not" be able to resettle the Uighurs due to Brazilian regulations. However, Bolhke told poloff that before providing a definitive response to our request, he would like an explanation as to why Uighurs are not eligible for refugee status or resettlement in the U.S. Post would appreciate guidance from the Department regarding Bohlke's request.

COMMENT: --------

5. (C) Post has discussed the resettlement of Guantanamo Bay detainees on numerous occasions and at a variety of levels, including U/S Grossman, since 2003. Given Brazilian legislation and CONARE's and the GOB's comments, it does not appear that the GOB will accept Uighurs detainees if they are not granted refugee status by the USG. And, even if the Uighurs were granted such status by the U.S., we expect the Brazilians would argue that they should then be resettled in the U.S. DANILOVICH

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