VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHE #0250/01 0950942
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 050942Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3214

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/WCI FOR SAM MUBANGO AND CATHY HARMS 
EUR/PGI FOR ALAIN NORMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017 
TAGS: KAWC PREL PTER PHUM PINR FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: RESPONSE TO GUANTANAMO RESETTLEMENT 
REQUEST 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 37005 
 
     ¶B. MUBANGU-THOME EMAIL 25 MARCH 2007 
 
Classified By: POLOFF DAVID SCHLAEFER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1.  (U)  This is an Action Request; please see paragraph 
¶6. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Poloff spoke with Finnish officials in the MFA's 
Political Secretariat and Office for Human Rights about the 
possibility of resettling Guantanamo detainees in Finland. 
Finland has previously rejected several US requests to 
resettle detainees, including twice rejecting the 
resettlement in Finland of Uighers.  The GoF's previous 
rejections were explained by legal and policy guidelines 
requiring any refugee resettlement request to be made via 
a formal UNHCR referral; in the absence of an official 
UNHCR referral, the GoF would not consider the case. 
Although a theoretical mechanism exists for extraordinary 
referrals, it has never been used and no precedent exists. 
There was also a palpable lack of enthusiasm among GoF 
officials for resettling Guantanamo detainees inside 
Finland. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Finland might reconsider its position in light of 
recent developments.  Johanna Suurpaa, the MFA's Director 
for Human Rights, said that the GoF was encouraged by 
recent statements by senior American officials that the USG 
wished to close Guantanamo as soon as possible.  She 
pointed to Secretary Gates' remarks as having been 
particularly well received by Finnish FM Tuomioja.  Suurpaa 
said that the GoF had long urged the US to close 
Guantanamo, and now that US policy was moving in this 
direction, an opportunity might exist for Finland to use 
its "extraordinary referral" mechanism (absent an UNHCR 
request) for the first time.  However, problems still 
existed regarding the suitability of many nationalities for 
resettlement in Finland given the country's relatively 
small, homogeneous population and unique Nordic climate; 
for example, Finnish officials were skeptical that the 
Uighers could be integrated successfully into Finnish 
society. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Poloff acknowledged the difficulties some groups 
might have in Finland, but urged the Finns to take a close 
look at the detainees, especially the Somali detainee 
Muhamed Hussein Abdullah.  Finland has a Somali immigrant 
and refugee population of approximately 8000.  Many of the 
Somalis have been in Finland since the late 1990s and have 
developed strong support networks.  Abdullah might find 
ready support from Finland's Somali community, and Finnish 
social services are already geared toward provision of 
services to Somali-speaking refugees.  Poloff also noted 
that after years of criticizing US policy on Guantanamo, it 
seemed inconsistent for Finland to shut the door on 
detainee resettlement as the US actively looked for ways to 
reduce and eventually eliminate the detainee population. 
 
¶5.  (C)  The Finns agreed to sound out senior officials on 
the possibility of admitting detainees (most probably 
Abdullah) to Finland.  One complicating factor is that 
Finland had a general election in March and the new 
government will not be formed until mid-late April.  Absent 
an UNHCR request, any decision to admit a refugee needs to 
be approved by Parliament and the Foreign Minister, with at 
least the acquiescence of the Prime Minister.  Suurpaa was 
unsure if FM Tuomioja--who will only be FM for a few more 
weeks--would want to take up the issue in his last days in 
office.  If not, the issue will have to wait until the new 
cabinet is in place. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Action Request:  The identifying information on 
Muhamed Hussein Abdullah in Ref B does not contain any 
information as to why he was detained; it gives his 
employment and academic history and then notes, without 
explanation, that he was detained in Peshawar in 2002. 
Finnish officials would like the following information on 
Abdullah to facilitate their decision-making: 
 
--  Why was Abdullah detained?  Why is he now considered 
safe for release? 
 
--  Will Abdullah's wife and/or any of his 11 children also 
seek resettlement at the same time? 
 
--  Should Finland consider the request, can Finnish 
officials visit and interview Abdullah before deciding to 
accept him? 
 
Upon receipt, post will pass the answers to these questions 
to the MFA and monitor ongoing Finnish deliberations about 
the resettlement issue. 
WARE