US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5020

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PHUM, PINR, PINS, TH, Demarche 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SPEAKING OUT ON GITMO AND 
DETAINEES 
 
REF: SECSTATE 142348 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alexander A. Arvizu for reasons 1.4 (b 
) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Upon receipt of reftel, Embassy has done the following: 
 
     --     Incorporated talking points for possible use in 
relevant high-level meetings with senior RTG officials; 
     --     Discussed main points with working level 
counterparts in the RTG (See para 2); 
     --     Post also anticipates dissemination to the media 
of cleared fact-sheets or placeable op-eds as indicated in 
reftel. 
 
2. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Mr. Peerasak 
Chantavarin, Director, Social Division of the Department of 
International Organizations (IO), MFA and Mr. Chakkrid 
Krachaiwong, First Secretary in the Department of American 
and South Pacific Affairs (AA), MFA. These officials 
specifically asked about how the USG dealt with American 
officers who had been found guilty of misconduct at 
Guantanamo. Chakkrid asked whether the US turned over 
detainees to be prosecuted in their countries of origin, and 
under which circumstances detainees could be tried in the 
United States. Several officials were also curious about the 
history and territorial status of the base at Guantanamo. 
Peerasak also mentioned that it was important not to let the 
controversy over Guantanamo be construed as the US "taking 
action" against Muslims. 
ARVIZU