US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI1281

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001281 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, FI, EUN, Terrorism 
SUBJECT: FINNISH RESPONSE TO S LETTER ON ALLEGED US 
TRANSPORTATION OF TERRORIST SUSPECTS 
 
REF: A. STATE 220071 
 
     B. STATE 219905 
     C. HELSINKI 1267 
     D. THOME-EUR/NB E-MAIL 28 NOV. 2005 
 
Classified By: CDA Amy Hyatt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: Finnish MFA officials have offered 
generally measured reactions to the Secretary's response 
to Foreign Secretary Straw on alleged US detention and 
transportation of terrorist suspects through the EU.  FM 
Tuomioja publicly welcomed the Secretary's dialogue with 
European partners at the Dec. 8 EU/NATO dinner, noting 
that her "assurances have to be regarded as truthful." 
However, the GOF also is clearly disappointed that it 
will not receive a specific response to its request for 
information regarding an alleged CIA flight that 
transited Helsinki in 2003.  The GOF is facing strident 
demands for assurances that the flight in question did 
not transport detainees, including a formal notification 
from Parliament's legal affairs committee that it will 
not ratify the US-EU bilateral extradition treaty or a 
mutual legal assistance treaty until such assurances are 
received.  End Summary. 
 
GOF Responds to Secretary's Letter to Straw 
------------------------------------------- 
2. (C) On Dec. 8, immediately following his participation 
in the Secretary's EU/NATO dinner in Brussels, FM Erkki 
Tuomioja issued a statement to the Finnish press in which 
he welcomed Secretary Rice's efforts to respond to her 
European counterparts' concerns about alleged US 
detention and transportation of terrorist suspects in or 
through EU member states.  Saying that he, like his 
colleagues, appreciated the Secretary's efforts to 
address the issue, Tuomioja noted positively that Rice's 
"assurances have to be regarded as truthful."  However, 
Tuomioja also expressed disappointment over the fact that 
Finland would not receive a country-specific response to 
its note verbal (see Reftel D) of Nov. 24, which 
requested "additional information" regarding a Prescott 
Services flight which landed in Helsinki in May 2003 and 
which journalists and human rights groups have alleged 
may have been transporting detainees.  The GOF has been 
facing pressure from the press and from Parliament on 
this issue, and had requested in previous meetings (Refs 
C and D) our assistance in helping to "bury" the issue. 
When pressed by journalists as to why no specific 
clarification would be forthcoming from the US, Tuomioja 
stated, "We are disappointed.  In terms of the issue, it 
would have been better to get more detailed information." 
 
Parliament Delays Action on Extradition Treaty and MLAT 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
3. (C) On Dec. 9, Charge and PolChief met with Finnish 
MFA Director for North America and Asia Elina Kalkku (A/S 
equivalent) per Reftel A instructions.  Kalkku, who had 
already seen the Secretary's letter to Straw, once again 
asked the Embassy to provide additional information about 
the March 2003 flight that might help the MFA respond to 
media and political pressure.  Kalkku expressed concern 
over the fact that the issue was threatening to slow 
progress on other bilateral initiatives of importance to 
both governments.  In particular, she said, the Finnish 
Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) has officially 
asked the MFA to provide clarifications regarding the 
March 2003 flight, emphasizing that such information 
would be important as the Committee begins the process of 
ratifying the US-EU extradition treaty and a pending 
Finnish-US mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT).  (NOTE: 
The LAC's chairman told PolChief privately that the 
committee would take no action on either treaty until it 
gets the information.)  In addition, Kalkku noted that 
Finland's European partners (she mentioned Sweden 
specifically) are sharing information on flight/detainee 
issues.  While there is currently nothing to suggest that 
more than one "of these flights" landed in Finland, the 
GOF fears further negative fallout should the press or 
others uncover another similar case. 
 
4. (C) In response, Charge said that we had seen FM 
Tuomioja's public statements and that we would take 
careful note of the MFA's additional concerns regarding 
other bilateral initiatives.  She noted that Secretary 
Rice's letter to Straw clearly laid out the US position 
on the matter.  However, per standing guidance, Charge 
emphasized that no further information or a country- 
specific response to Finland's requests for clarification 
would be forthcoming. 
HYATT