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Christina Matkus LassenAnw $ideri altBibgJoumalnummer

7. februar 2002Fax-!l11D'Imer

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Manglende sider Iran re.kviretes~

Telefon 202 797 5356

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Gene~konventionen

finder anvendelse på Taliban-fanger

Det Hvide Hus annonceredeidag. at præsident Bush har vurderet, atGeneve-konventionen finder anvendelse i forhold til de tilfangetagne,der tilhører Taliban. Dette gælder ikke Al Qaeda-fanget, selvom det un-derstteges, at begge typer fanger vil blive behandlet i overensstemmelsemsi konventionens principper.Under henvisning til Geneve-konvenrionens artikel 4 vil Taliban-fangeroe imidlertid ikke komme i betragtning til POW-status.Udskrift af p:ressebriefingener vedlagt.P.A.VE.B.

[/;vo~Christina Marlros Lassen

02/07/2002.

18:16

ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY ~ UM

NO.416

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~ SPECIALWHITEHOUSE ANNOUNCEMENTRE: APPLfCATION OF GENEVA. CONVE;NTIONSIN AFGHANISTAN...BRIEFER:ARIFLEISCHER,WHITEHOUSESPOKESMAN~. WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM, WASHINGTON, D.C.~ 1:40 P.M. EST THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2002COQyriaht mOO2by Federal NewsService.Ino., 620 National Pre3s BUilding, Wa&hingtan,DC 20045, USA.For informationon SUbSa'lbing to the FNS Internet Service, please email Jad( Graemeat [email protected]ar cal! (202)824-0570..

MR. FLEISCHER:Good aftemoon.Q Welcome back!

C"'~4

:MR.FLEISCHER:I have an announcementto make..

Today, President Bush affums our enduringcOmnU1ment the importantprinciples ofthetoGeneva Convention.Consistent with Americanvalues and the principlesof the Geneva Convention,the United Stateshas treated and will continueto treat all Taliban and al Qaeda detaineesinGuantanamoBay hwnanely and consistentwith the principles of the Geneva Convention.They will continueto receive tbree appropriatemea1sa day, excellentmedica1care, clothing,shelter,showers, and the opportunityto worship. The InternationalCommittee ofthe Red Cross canvisit each detaineeprivately.In addition, PresidentBush today has decidedthat the Geneva ConventionwiIl apply to theTaIiban detainees,but not to the al QaedainternationaltetTorists.Afghanistanis a party to theGeneva Convention.Although the United States does not recognizethe Taliban as the legitimateAfghani govemment, the president detennined !hat the Taliban membersare covered under thetreaty because Afghanistan is a party to the convention.Under Article 4 ofthe Geneva Convention,however, Taliban detaineesare not entitledto P~Wstatus. To qualify as POWs under Article 4, al Qaeda and TaJiban detaineeswould have to havesatisfied four conditions:they would have to be part of a military hierarchy,they wouldhave to havewom uniforms or other distinctive signsvisible at a distance,they would have to have carried armsopenly, and they would have had to have conductedtheir military operationsin accordancewith thelaws and customs ofwar.The Taliban have not effectively distinguishedthemselvesfrom the civilian populationofMghanistan. Moreover,they have not conductedtheir operations in accordance with the laws andcustoms ofwar. Instead, they have knowingly adopted and provided'support to the unlawfulterroristobjectives of the al Qaeda.

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Al Qaeda is an internationalterrorist group and cannotbe considereda state party to the GenevaConvention.Its members, therefore, are not covered by the Geneva Conventionand arc not cntitled

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The war on terrorism is a war not envisagedwhen the Geneva Conventionwas signed in 1949.Inthis war, global terrorists transcend nationalbo1U1daries internationallytarget the innocent.Theand.1\

presidenthasmaintained UnitedStates'commitment the prlnciplesof the GenevaConvention,theto\ybilerecognizingthatthe conventionsimplydoesnotcovereverysituationin whichpeoplemaybeHearrivedat ajust, principledandpracticalsolution a difficultissue.Thepresident idso-todbecause, as Americans,the way we treat people is a reflection of America's values. The military-operatesundera codeof conductandupholdsthesevaluesbasedonthe dignityofeveryindividual.

. captured or detainedby military forces, as we see in Mghanistan today.

The Americanpeople can take great pride in the way our military is 1reatmgthese dangerousdetainees.The Conventionremains as importanttoday as it was the day it was signed, and the United State5is proud of its 50-year history in complianeewith the Convention.Ron?...:: j~'

Q (Off mike.) Given tbat the presidenthad long ago determinedthat none of these fighters wereprisoners ofwar, how, if at all, does it changethe wayTaliban,and then separately,al Qaedafighters,will be treated at GuantanamoBay? And teUme how this might help proteet U.S. forces,ifthey happento be captured in Afghanistan.MR. FLEISC:a;E~ What tbis announcementsignifiesis 'thepresident's dedicationto theimportanceofthe Geneva Conventionand to the principlesthat the Geneva Conventionholds. Intenns of the treatment of the prisoners, even thoughthe president has determinedthat they will notbe treated legally as prisoners of war, they willbe affordedevery courtesy and every value that thisnation appliesto treating people well while they are in our custody. So it will not changetheirmateriallife on a day-to-<iaybasis. They will continueto be treated well, becausethat's what theUnited Statesdoes."

Q Ari?Q Then why do this? Is it because ofthe secondpart ofthe question?

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MR. FLEISCHER:1t'5because ofthe first answerI gave, which is because the presidentbdievesin the principlesand in the law of the GenevaConvention.He believes in its applicability.Hebelievesin its importance.He believesthat that plays a role even in todaylsmodem world,where theapplicabilitygets somewhat more compIicatedas a result of a internationalten'oristorganizationthatdoesn't wearunifonns ar insignias.John?

{

Q So Ari, what you're telling us is that theTalibanprisonersdetaineesat GnentAnamo notwillget any more protections than they alreadyare givenunder the Geneva Convention?And what youseem to be telIing us is that the al Qaedadetaineeswi11 fewer.getMR. FLEISCHER:No. There is DOcbangein the protectionsthey wiIl be provided. They are--Q But you said-MR..FLEISCHER:They have always been treated consistent with the principles of the GenevaConvention,which means they'll be treatedwell. If you're:looking for anythingthat wiIl not happe:nas a result of this announcement,it is that they will not receive stipendsfrom the Americanhttp://www.fnsg.comJsbin/showst?A=4&S=fnsfnswh&F=-8320020207t7375&Q=taliban07/0212002

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taxpayers.Theywill not receive musical instruments,courtesyofthe United Statesmilitary.They.

would've received those, had they been declared POWs.

Q But this -MR..FLEISCHER:.David?Q That's true of theTaliban,tao,right?IY:tR.FLEISCHER:Coxrect.

Q So what is the difference? How will the al Qaedaand theTaUbandetaineesbetreateddifferently?MR. FLEISCHER: What the president is sayinghere is thcre it is an importantprinciplerecognizjng that Mghanistan is a member state that agreedto the terms of the Geneva Convention.So the president is making a distinction between the al Qaeda and the TaJiban. But when it comestotheir classificationas POWs, neither group will be givenP~W legal designation,althoughthey willcontinue to be humanelyand in accordance with America'svalues, wbich were ref1ectedin theConvention.Q (Inaudible)treated?

-difference,Ari, in how they are treated?Is there any differencein howthey are

MR. FLEISCHER: Thattswhat wetvebeen sayingall along. They will continueto be treatedwellbecause they're in the custody of America.Q (Inaudible) -- al Qaeda andTaUban,thatthey will be--MR. FLEISCHER:No distinctionwiIl be made in the good treatment given to the al Qaedaor theTaliban.Q So it's a distinetionwithout a difference.MR. FLEISCHER:No, it's a distinction based on the legalprinciple that the presidentbelievesinthe Geneva Conventionand its important principles.41-

Q And that's to say, Ari, that day to day, nothing is going to change that will be noticeableforthese detainees. That's correct, right?

(

MR. FLEISCHER: They will conrinueto be treated well. No change in that treatment.Q So, applyingthe convention here is being donesolelyto protect U.S. citizens and, nænely, U.S.soldiers who may be in a situation overseasheld by-you know, by a foreign government.Is thatcorrect? I mean, is that the principle that's being upheld?~.FLEISCHER: Well, the principle is that this country,and this president, of course,believe inand adhere to the Geneva Convention.Q Well, that's a big part of the debate, that-MR. FLEISCHER:In any case, the United Stateswould always be covered by the GenevaConvention, OUT ilitary, because, as I mentioned,under Article 4 you have to wear a uniform,youmhave to wear an insignia, carry your weapons outside,be distinguishablefrom the civilianpopulation. All ofthis covers are military.http://www.fnsg.comlsbin/showst?A=4&S=fnsfnswh&F=8320020207t7375&Q=taliban7/02/20020r

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Q But the concern, the debate here was about ifyou don't do it here, then U.S. soldierscouldbemistreated abroad. Isn't that correct? And so isn't that a big motivationhere, to make sure that U.S.soldiers get the same kindof1reatment?MR. FLEISCHER:1t'simportantfor all nations throughoutthe world to treat any prisonerswell.Q Ari, what about-MR. FLEISCHER:And that is somethingthe United Statesalways expects and the United Statesalways does.We have time for one more question, and then there's a poolevent(Cross talk.)

MIt FLEISCHER: Wait.Hold, hold - hold it. David? David wiIl get one more, and then we'llcome back.Go ahead.Q (Offmike) -- responsiveto the specificpoint. Wasn'tthis an important concem? lunderstandwhat the expectationsare, but it was important for this administrationto be able to say, "Look,wewant to be able to protect our soldiersin similar situationsdownthe line, and if we don't accord ifwe don't afford privilegesunder the Geneva Convention,thenom'soldierscould be in peril."

IvtR.FLEISCHER:David, I was not in the NSC deliberationswhere various issues were raised,so really therelsno way I can accuratelyanswer that question.Q Ari --Q Ari, what about -

MR. FLEISCHER:Go ahead. David?Q What aboutthe the U.S. SpecialFarces? They aften do not wear unifonns. They often do notcarry their weapons outwardly.If they are capture~ they wouldn'tbe prisoners af war?MR. FLEISCHER:The terms of the Geneva Conventionapplyto all, and th.oseterms speakforthemselves.Okay,thank you everybody.END.HEA,r;UNE~. HOME

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