Cablegate: Jamaica: Government Unable to Accommodate Medevac Request

VZCZCXYZ2795
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #0192 0641330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041330Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6022
INFO RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0094
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCOGCA/COMNAVBASE GUANTANAMO BAY CU PRIORITY

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000192

SIPDIS

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (JOE TILGHMAN)
PRM/ECA (ROB GEHRING)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CU PHUM PREF PREL SMIG JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: GOVERNMENT UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE MEDEVAC REQUEST

REF: (A) 07 STATE 114475 (151631Z AUG 07)
(B) 07 STATE 123223 (311936Z AUG 07)
(C) 07 KINGSTON 1425 (181943Z SEP 07)
(D) STATE 13050 (072046Z FEB 08)
(E) R. GEHRING E-MAIL 08 FEB 08
(F) KINGSTON 130 (111924Z FEB 08)

1.(SBU) Post has received the following diplomatic note from the
Government of Jamaica (GoJ)'s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade (MFAFT):

(begin text of GoJ diplomatic note no. 358/803/3)
--------------------------------------------- ----

" The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign trade presents its
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has
the honor to refer to its note No. 045/08 dated 20 February 2008,
requesting the Government of Jamaica to allow entry to Jamaica of a
Cuban migrant who is being held in protective custody at the US
Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay and who is on a hunger strike, in
order that he may be provided with medical treatment, in the event
of such a need.

The Ministry wishes to advise the Embassy that it has given careful
consideration, particularly in the light of the humanitarian issues
raised, to the request for assistance. However, the Government of
Jamaica regrets that, due to existing international obligations, it
is not in a position to accommodate this request.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade avails itself of
this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of
America the assurances of its highest consideration.

(end text of GoJ diplomatic note no. 358/803/3)
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JOHNSON

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