US embassy cable - 05PARIS7785

UNCLAS PARIS 007785 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, PINS, FR 
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: GUIDANCE ON RESPONSE TO COE 
INVESTIGATION 
 
 
1.  (U)  This is an action request.  See para 3. 
 
2.   (U) Amb. Stapleton received by fax a letter (full text 
para 4) from Dick Marty, whom the Council of Europe 
Parliamentary Assembly has appointed to investigate the 
allegations of CIA secret detention centers in CoE member 
countries.  The key phrase reads, "I would very much 
appreciate receiving from your authorities any pertinent 
information they may be able to provide me with on this 
subject." 
 
3.  (U)  ACTION REQUEST:  Please provide authorized language 
for use by Ambassador and Strasbourg consulate in response to 
COE requests. 
 
4. (U) Text of Marty letter: 
 
Parliamentary Assembly 
The Council of Europe 
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights 
The Chairperson 
 
14 November 2005 
 
Dear Mr. Roberts Stapleton, 
 
I address this letter to you in your capacity as Permanent 
Observer of the United States of America to the Council of 
Europe. 
 
As you are no doubt aware, I have recently been instructed by 
the Parliamentary Assembly,s Committee on Legal Affairs and 
Human Rights to collect information on &alleged secret 
detention centres in Council of Europe member states8 as a 
result of communications received on this subject from a 
number of sources, especially Human Rights Watch. 
 
With this in mind, and in particular the existence of serious 
allegations concerning your country,s involvement in such 
activities in Council of Europe member States as of 2001, I 
would very much appreciate receiving from your authorities 
any pertinent information they may be able to provide me with 
on this subject. 
 
I look forward to receiving a reply to my request at your 
earliest convenience and thank you for your cooperation. 
 
Yours Sincerely, 
 
 
Dick Marty 
 
END LETTER TEXT 
 
 
 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
Hofmann