US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI947

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000947 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2010 
TAGS: MOPS, PREF, PREL, PTER, KAWC, PHUM, PINR, FI 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: FINLAND DISINCLINED TO RESETTLE 
UIGHUR DETAINEES FROM GUANTANAMO 
 
REF: STATE 158272 
 
Classified By: PolChief Gregory Thome, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) DCM delivered subject demarche to MFA Undersecretary 
for Political Affairs Markus Lyra.  Lyra said that the GOF 
would be disinclined to consider resettlement of any of the 
Uighurs from Guantanamo to Finland.  Finland grants 
third-country resettlement only to cases referred through the 
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  Finland has not 
been approached by UNHCR regarding these cases, Lyra noted, 
and even if UNHCR were to make a request it would be 
problematic.  He suggested that, in addition to the UNHCR 
request, the U.S. would first have to accept at least some of 
the Uighurs -- both to show that it is willing to share the 
burden and to demonstrate that they do not represent a 
security threat -- before the GOF would consider our request. 
 Lyra also used the occasion of our demarche to remind us 
that the GOF would like to see greater U.S. cooperation with 
"all the human rights mechanisms" seeking access to 
Guantanamo detainees. 
 
2. (C) Post's assessment is that it will be impossible to 
resettle any of the Uighurs to Finland without UNHCR 
involvement, and extremely difficult even with such 
involvement. 
MACK