Cablegate: Embassy Stockholm

O 201540Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3916

S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000781

S/WCI FOR GOREY, RICCI, VIBUL-JOLLES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS KAWK KISL KPAO SW

REF: A. GOREY-KOEHLER EMAIL 11/20/08
B. STOCKHOLM 722 C. STATE 10853

Classified By: DCM Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

1. (S) This is an action request, please see para 4.

2. (S) On November 20, DCM had a pull-aside, after a meeting on other issues (septel), with MFA State Secretary Frank Belfrage on Sweden,s willingness to accept Guantanamo detainees.

3. (S) Belfrage said: --Closing Guantanamo is an important step and the Swedish MFA would be supportive of taking the Palestinian detainee, but that the obstacle would be the Swedish Migration Board, an independent agency. --On the multilateral European initiative, Belfrage had not heard about the issue from German National Security Advisor Heusgen, though the two speak regularly, including on November 19. --Belfrage asked for details of the detainees being proposed for transfer under the German initiative, and DCM briefed him on the nationalities of the 23 under consideration.

4. (S) Action request: Belfrage is the appropriate point of contact for Heusgen, per Ref A. We will schedule another meeting with the Migration Board to raise again the case of Palestinian detainee Asim M. Al-Aasmi. Per Ref B, we request additional information to be sent front channel, including on risks of persecution he might face in Gaza, for release to Swedish authorities. WOOD

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