ICELAND NON-COMMITTAL ON RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L REYKJAVIK 000082 SIPDIS SIPDIS State for S/WCI Ambassador Williamson, EUR/PGI Cook and EUR/NB E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2017 TAGS: PREL, PTER, PHUM, PINR, KAWC, IC SUBJECT: ICELAND NON-COMMITTAL ON RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES REF: STATE 37005; STATE 36991 Classified By: Ambassador Carol van Voorst for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) On March 26 Ambassador discussed resettlement of Guantanamo detainees in a meeting with Foreign Minister Valgerdur Sverrisdottir and MFA advisor Jorundur Valtysson. Sverrisdottir said she would welcome the eventual closing of the detention facility but her government would need to study closely the request for detainee resettlement. She will get back to us with a formal reply. 2. (C) Note: Iceland admits around 25 refugees a year through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC). The government has previously been unwilling to accept a larger number or to admit them outside the UNHCR mechanism. van Voorst