US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA3638

S E C R E T OTTAWA 003638 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2015 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, PTER, KAWC, PHUM, PREF, PINR, CA 
SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP TO REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT 
 
REF: (A) STATE 215194 (B) OTTAWA 3065 (C) STATE 183800 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL M/C Brian Flora.  Reason 1.4 (b and (d). 
 
1. (U) This is an action message.  See para 6. 
 
2. (S) Polmiloff met with Senior Advisor for Migration and 
Refugees Kathy Porter on December 9 to discuss Uighur 
resettlement.  Other meeting participants were China and 
Mongolia Senior Political Officer Walter Bernyck, and U.S. 
Relations Political Officer Greg Veysey. 
 
3. (S) Responding to demarche points in ref A, Porter 
welcomed the additional information provided by USG.  She 
reported that her initial interagency consultations regarding 
possible resettlement of 15 Uighur detainees in Canada had 
revealed "no enthusiasm" for taking them in.  At the same 
time, she emphasized that the government has not taken a 
formal position. 
 
4. (S) Porter explained that Canada's immigration laws were 
similar to those of the United States, and the same concerns 
that likely rendered Uighur detainees ineligible for 
admission to the U.S. would be applicable to Canada.  Though 
Porter cited general "security concerns" she took on board 
the point that it wouldn't make sense for the USG to advocate 
Uighur resettlement in Canada if there were strong security 
implications for the United States.  Poloff reiterated the 
high-level interest in Washington regarding this matter. 
Veysey observed privately (protect) that the matter 
definitely was not/not closed and that Uighur resettlement 
presented an "opportunity" (for the government to demonstrate 
good will to the U.S.). 
 
5. (S) Porter affirmed that the Canadian diplomatic note on 
resettlement of certain cases requiring international 
protection (ref B) would be the appropriate vehicle for 
requesting Uighur resettlement.  Alluding to the Haitian case 
of December 2004, however, she emphasized the importance of 
preliminary "unofficial exchanges" (consultations) to pave 
the way before invoking that mechanism.  In all likelihood, 
the resettlement of Uighur detainees would require a very 
senior (Immigration Minister) political decision, she said. 
Porter noted that there was still a great deal of sensitivity 
related to last summer's dismissal of former Minister Judy 
Sgroh over her inappropriate approvals of special permits for 
refugees. 
 
6. (S) Porter and Veysey requested the following additional 
information to assist Canadian deliberations: 
 
-- Has China approached the USG officially regarding the 
Uighurs? 
-- USG determined that 5 of the 15 no longer met the criteria 
as enemy combatants by a Combatant Status Review Tribunal; 
what about the remaining 10? What type of "screening" took 
place in their cases? 
-- What other countries has USG approached regarding 
resettlement of Uighurs? 
 
7. (S) COMMENT:  Following the November 29 dissolution of the 
government, Canada is in the middle of a tumultuous  election 
campaign, where the ruling party's record on U.S.-Canada 
relations, the war in Iraq and detentions of terror suspects, 
is under close scrutiny.  It seems inevitable that a decision 
by Immigration Canada to accept Uighurs for resettlement 
would require the support of senior political levels (i.e. 
Cabinet Ministers).  What is unclear, however, is the 
likelihood of a decision between now and the January 23 
election.  Post will try to raise Uighur resettlement at 
senior levels of other ministries and report as appropriate. 
END COMMENT. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
WILKINS