US embassy cable - 05PARIS8313

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008313 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA AND L 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2010 
TAGS: PREL, EU, PTER, PINR, PHUM, FR 
SUBJECT: TEXT OF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE 
PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO THE SECRETARY 
 
REF: A. (A) BALL/OWEN E-MAILS DECEMBER 6 
     B. 2005 
     C. (B) BALL/BAKER FAX DECEMBER 2 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (U) Action request -- see para 5. 
 
2.  (U)  Post received on December 6, 2005 faxed copy of a 
letter to the Secretary from the President of the Council of 
Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Renee van der Linden.  The 
transmittal sheet attached to the letter from van der 
Linden's Chief of Staff requests that the Ambassador transmit 
President van der Linden's letter to the Secretary.  A copy 
of van der Linden's letter has been forwarded to the 
Department as a pdf file (ref A). 
 
3.  (C) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER: 
 
Council of Europe 
Parliamentary Assembly 
The President 
 
Strasbourg, 6 December 2005 
 
Dear Secretary of State, 
 
I write further to my letter of 2 December 2005, in which I 
enquired about the possibility of a meeting with you during 
your visit to Europe.  The purpose of this meeting with you 
would have been to discuss the issue of allegations relating 
to secret detentions and extraordinary renditions involving 
the C.I.A. and taking place on the territory of Council of 
Europe member States. 
 
I understand that the programme of your visit did not allow 
for such a meeting to take place.  I would like to take this 
opportunity, therefore, to express some of the concerns that 
I would otherwise have stated in person. 
 
Democratic Europe has always enjoyed excellent mutual 
relations with the USA. We all stand for the same values, 
given effect through the basic principles of democracy, human 
rights and the rule of law.  I fear, however, that the 
current allegations risk damaging the image of the USA in 
Europe and undermining transatlantic relationships, at a time 
when the global security situation requires strong alliances 
between our countries. 
 
For the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 
which brings together 630 members of national parliaments 
from 46 European countries, this matter is of utmost 
importance.  We consider that such possible practices as 
secret detention and extraordinary rendition are in clear 
 
SIPDIS 
violation of our basic legal standards concerning the 
prohibition on torture and inhuman treatment and the right to 
liberty and security of the person.  We have responded to the 
current situation by establishing an enquiry, to be conducted 
by the Chairperson of our Committee on Legal Affairs and 
Human Rights, Mr. Dick Marty. 
 
I would urge the U.S. authorities to cooperate fully with Mr. 
Marty,s enquiries in order to discover and make public the 
truth about these allegations.  Your country,s position on 
this issue is crucial in order to demonstrate that the same 
rules apply to all countries.  Failing this would seriously 
undermine the moral foundations of the democratic world order. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Ren van der Linden 
 
END TEXT OF LETTER. 
 
 
4.  (U) The "letter of 2 December 2005" mentioned by van der 
Linden in paragraph one refers to a letter, which has been 
answered, from him to Ambassador Stapleton requesting a 
meeting with the Secretary in Brussels on December 8 (ref B). 
 Van der Linden also sent a copy of his December 6 letter to 
the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the Council of 
Europe, who is also the U.S. Consul General in Strasbourg, 
France. 
 
5.  (C) Action request: Post requests Department's guidance. 
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 
 
Stapleton