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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003037 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2034 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PREF, PK, AF SUBJECT: BALOCH REQUEST UNHCR FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF BRAHMDAGH BUGTI TO IRELAND Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) 1. (S/NF) Summary: Kilian Kleinschmidt, who has been designated by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres as UNHCR's liaison to the Baloch community in Pakistan, met with the Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission on December 13 to discuss the U.S. Government's position on the possible movement of Baloch leader Brahmdagh Bugti from Afghanistan to a country of asylum. He requested U.S. intervention with Pakistani authorities if UNHCR agrees to facilitate this movement. Baloch leader Sher Ali Mazari, Brahmdagh's uncle, reportedly told Kleinschmidt that the Government of Ireland has agreed to offer asylum to Bugti, although UNHCR has not yet confirmed this offer. At the request of UNHCR, the Ambassador agreed to engage President Zardari and have the Embassy follow up with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to ensure that the GOP would not act against such a transfer or negatively respond to UNHCR's potential involvement. In a subsequent conversation, however, DGI ISI Pasha registered to COS the Pakistan military's opposition to allowing Bugti to obtain refugee status. While getting Bugti out of Afghanistan is still a good idea, we do not believe UNHCR should be involved. End Summary. 2. (C) At the request of Baloch leader Sher Ali Mazari, nephew of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who was the head of the Bugti tribe killed by the Pakistan military in 2006, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres designated UNHCR Assistant Representative Kilian Kleinschmidt as UNHCR liaison to Pakistan's Baloch community. Kleinschmidt met recently with Mazari, who sought UNHCR support in facilitating the movement out of Afghanistan of Brahmdagh Bugti, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti's grandson and head of the Baloch Republican Party. Mazari reportedly told Kleinschmidt that the Government of Ireland was willing to receive Brahmdagh Bugti, who "had to get out of Afghanistan and would not be safe returning to Pakistan." Mazari also contended that the USG would be supportive of this transfer. (Note: Mazari has met with Embassy poloffs several times to float the idea of moving Bugti, sharing with us that Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister is willing to help Bugti gain asylum there. End Note.) 3. (C) Kleinschmidt sought a meeting on December 13 with the Ambassador to discuss the USG position on the potential transfer of Bugti, although UNHCR has yet to verify Ireland's willingness to receive him or to make a determination as to whether Bugti is eligible for refugee status. The British Government has previously refused to consider asylum for Bugti. According to Kleinschmidt, while UNHCR believes that moving Bugti from Afghanistan and from close proximity to and influence in Baloch insurgent activity in Pakistan would be in the Pakistani Government's interest, High Commissioner Guterres is concerned that UNHCR's potential involvement in this transfer could have a negative impact on UNHCR's humanitarian access, operations, and security in Pakistan. UNHCR is seeking assurances that the Pakistani Government will not act against such a transfer or penalize UNHCR's potential involvement in it. Kleinschmidt told the Ambassador that his meeting with Mazari and all UNHCR's interaction with Baloch leaders have been carefully monitored by Pakistani intelligence. 4. (C) UNHCR will hold an in-house meeting to be attended by the UNHCR Afghanistan Country Representative and its Asia Director on December 22 to discuss more generally what to do with regard to the Baloch in Afghanistan. Besides Bugti, there are "a few hundred" Baloch in Kandahar (largely from Dera Bugti), Kleinschmidt explained. He said that recognizing these Baloch as refugees would be well received by the Pakistani Baloch community - which believes UNHCR has been insufficiently supportive of them despite Baloch assistance in facilitating the release of kidnapped UNHCR Quetta Sub-Office Head John Solecki -- but would not be well-received by the Government of Pakistan. ISLAMABAD 00003037 002 OF 002 5. (C) The Ambassador told Kleinschmidt that the USG would be supportive of moving Bugti out of the region but said that UNHCR would need to confirm first Ireland's willingness to grant him asylum. She and Kleinschmidt both expressed concern about the possible implications of Mazari's stipulation that Bugti would need to be able to freely travel outside his country of asylum. The Ambassador agreed to engage President Zardari and have the Embassy follow up with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to ensure that the GOP would not act against a transfer of Bugti out of Afghanistan or negatively respond to UNHCR's potential involvement. 6. (S/NF) In a subsequent conversation, DG ISI Pasha told COS that he believed Bugti should return to Pakistan to stand trial for his crimes. While declaring that the decision belonged ultimately to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he made clear that the Pakistan military would not favor allowing Bugti to be accorded refugee status. It was also clear from Pasha's comments that efforts on the part of UN agencies to effect Bugti being provided with asylum in Europe would color the Pakistan military's perception of those agencies and would affect their working relationships. 7. (S/NF) Comment: On the basis of Pasha's remarks, we are advising Kleinschmidt that it would be better for UNHCR not to pursue this initiative with Bugti. End Comment. PATTERSON