US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA836

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 GUATEMALA 000836 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/B, L, T, P, D, IO, S/WCI, S/P, CWG/PM, 
PM/AT, WHA, OSD/ISP/NP LOOK AND DOD/OGC ALLEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DCL: 03/29/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, KTIA, GT, KICC 
SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN COUNTERPROPOSAL FOR ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT 
 
REF: STATE 39114 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert E. Copley for reason 15. (b). 
 
1. (U) This is an action request: see paragraph 3. 
 
2. (C) Summary: The Guatemalan MFA has proposed 
an Article 98 Agreement that contains three 
additions to the modified text in reftel.  The 
additions consist of making reference to UNSCR 
1422 (the one-year exemption from the ICC for 
UN Peacekeepers), adding a requirement for each 
party to investigate and prosecute its own 
officials, and providing that the parties may 
cooperate with and provide evidence in 
investigations conducted by international 
tribunals, even against individuals protected 
from extradition by the agreement.  Our 
unofficial English translation of the 
counterproposal is at paragraph 4.  The 
Guatemalan proposal in Spanish is at paragraph 
5.  End Summary. 
 
3. (C) Action Request:  Post requests 
Department's review of the three additions 
proposed by Guatemala and an official U.S. 
response. 
 
4. (C) Begin unofficial English translation: 
Agreement between the Government of the United 
States of America and the Government of 
Guatemala regarding the Surrender of Persons to 
International Tribunals 
 
The Government of the United States of America and the 
Government of Guatemala, hereinafter "the Parties," 
 
Reaffirming the importance of bringing to justice those who 
commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, 
 
Considering that the Parties have each expressed their 
intention to, where appropriate, investigate and prosecute 
war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide alleged to 
have been committed by their respective officials, 
employees, military personnel, and nationals, 
 
Taking into account Resolution 1422 (2002) issued on July 
12, 2002, by the Security Council of the United Nations, 
 
Hereby agree as follows: 
 
1. For purposes of this agreement, "persons" are current or 
former Government officials, employees (including 
contractors), or military personnel or nationals of one 
Party. 
 
2. Persons of one Party present in the territory of the 
other shall not, absent the expressed consent of the first 
Party, 
 
(a) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any 
international tribunal for any purpose, unless such tribunal 
is established by the UN Security Council, or 
 
(b) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any other 
entity or third country, or expelled to a third country, for 
the purpose of surrender to or transfer to any international 
tribunal, unless such tribunal has been established by the 
UN Security Council. 
 
3. Both Parties commit to investigate and, to prosecute, if 
appropriate, those presumed responsible, in the exercise of 
the internal jurisdiction of each of the Parties. 
 
4. Nothing established in this Agreement will impede the 
Parties from collaborating in an investigation by any 
international tribunal or from providing such evidence as 
may be in its power, even if these were solicited within a 
process initiated against one of the "persons" referred to 
in this agreement. 
 
5. When the United States extradites, surrenders, or 
otherwise transfers a person of the other Party to a third 
country, the United States will not agree to the surrender 
or transfer of that person by the third country to any 
international tribunal, unless such tribunal is established 
by the UN Security Council absent the express consent of the 
Government of Guatemala. 
 
6. When the Government of Guatemala extradites, surrenders, 
or otherwise transfers a person of the United States of 
America to a third country, the Government of Guatemala will 
not agree to the surrender or transfer of that person by the 
third country to any international tribunal, unless such 
tribunal is authorized or established by the UN Security 
Council, absent the express consent of the Government of the 
United States. 
7. Each Party agrees, subject to its international legal 
obligations, not to knowingly facilitate, consent to, or 
cooperate with efforts by any third party or country to 
effect the extradition, surrender, or transfer of a person 
of the other Party to any international tribunal, unless 
such tribunal has been authorized or established by the UN 
Security Council. 
 
This Agreement shall enter into force upon an exchange of 
notes confirming that each Party has completed the necessary 
domestic legal requirements to bring the Agreement into 
force.  The present Agreement will remain in force until one 
year after the date on which one Party notifies the other of 
its intent to terminate this Agreement. The provisions of 
this Agreement shall continue to apply with respect to any 
act occurring, or any allegation arising, before the 
effective date of termination. 
 
 
 
Done at (         ) on the (    ) day of (         ), 2003. 
 
 
 
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF               FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA        GUATEMALA 
 
End Unofficial English Translation. 
 
5. (C) Begin Original Spanish text: ACUERDO ENTRE EL 
GOBIERNO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA Y EL GOBIERNO DE 
LA REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA RESPECTO A LA ENTREGA DE PERSONAS 
A LOS TRIBUNALES INTERNACIONALES 
 
 
El Gobierno de los Estados Unidos de America y el Gobierno 
de la Republica de Guatemala, en lo sucesivo "las Partes", 
 
Reafirmando la importancia de enjuiciar a los culpables de 
genocidio, delitos de lesa humanidad y crimenes de guerra, 
 
Considerando que cada una de las Partes ha expresado su 
intencion de investigar y enjuiciar, cuando sea oportuno, 
los crimenes de guerra, delitos de lesa humanidad, y 
genocidio supuestamente cometidos por sus funcionarios, 
empleados, personal militar u otros nacionales respectivos, 
 
Tomando en cuenta, la Resolucion 1422 (2002) emitida el 12 
de julio de 2002 por el Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones 
Unidas, 
 
Por el presente, acuerdan lo siguiente: 
 
1.  A los efectos del presente acuerdo, por "personas", se 
entiende los funcionarios publicos, empleados (incluidos los 
contratistas), el personal militar o los nacionales de una 
Parte, actuales o antiguos, 
 
2.  Las personas de una Parte presentes en el territorio de 
la otra no seran, salvo con el consentimiento expreso de la 
primera Parte, 
 
a)  entregadas ni trasladadas por ningun medio a ningun 
tribunal internacional, para ningun proposito, a menos que 
tal corte sea establecida por el Consejo de Seguridad de la 
ONU, ni 
 
b)  entregadas ni trasladadas por ningun medio a ninguna 
entidad ni a un tercer pais, ni expulsadas a un tercer pais 
con el proposito de entregarlas o trasladarlas a ningun 
tribunal internacional, a menos que tal corte haya sido 
establecida por el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU. 
 
3.  Ambas Partes se comprometen a investigar y, si ha lugar 
a la formacion de causa, enjuiciar a los presuntos 
responsables, en ejercicio de la jurisdicion interna de cada 
una de las Partes. 
 
4. Nada de lo establecido en el Acuerdo impedira que las 
Partes colaboren en la investigacion que realice cualquier 
tribunal internacional o que proporcionen las evidencias que 
se hallaren en su poder, aun si estas fueren solicitadas 
dentro de un proceso iniciado en contra de alguna de las 
personas a que se refiere el presente Acuerdo. 
5. Cuando los Estados Unidos extradite, entregue o, de otra 
forma, traslade a una persona de la otra Parte a un tercer 
pais, los Estados Unidos no convendra en que el tercer pais 
la entregue o traslade a ningun tribunal internacional, a 
menos que tal corte sea establecida por el Consejo de 
Seguridad de la ONU, salvo con el consentimiento expreso del 
Gobierno de Guatemala. 
6.  Cuando el Gobierno de Guatemala extradite, entregue o, 
de otra forma, traslade a una persona de los Estados Unidos 
de America a un tercer pais, el Gobierno de Guatemala no 
convendra en entregarla ni trasladarla a ningun tribunal 
internacional, a menos que tal Corte sea autorizada o 
establecida por el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU, salvo con 
el consentimiento expreso de Gobierno de los Estados Unidos. 
 
7.  De acuerdo a sus obligaciones juridicas internacionales, 
cada Parte conviene en que, a sabiendas, no facilitar las 
gestiones de ningun tercer pais o Parte, ni consentir o 
cooperar respecto a las mismas para que se extradite, 
entregue o traslade a una persona de la otra Parte a ningun 
tribunal internacional, a menos que tal corte haya sido 
autorizado o establecido por el Consejo de Seguridad de la 
ONU. 
 
El presente acuerdo entrara en vigor mediante un canje de 
notas que confirmen que cada Parte ha cumplido con los 
requisitos legales nacionales necesarios para su entrada en 
vigor.  El presente acuerdo permanecera vigente hasta un ano 
despues de la fecha en que una de las Partes notifique a la 
otra su intencion de derogarlo.  Las disposiciones del 
presente acuerdo seguiran en vigor con respecto a todo acto 
que ocurra, o toda queja que surja, antes de la fecha de 
vigencia de la derogacion. 
 
Hecho en ____ el dia ____de 2003. 
 
 
 
 
Por el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos de America 
 
Por el Gobierno de la Republica de Guatemala 
 
End Original Spanish Text.