Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable content from the United States diplomatic cables leak
that shows the United States' opinion of related affairs. Beginning on 28 November 2010, WikiLeaks
had been publishing classified documents of detailed correspondence—diplomatic cable
s—between the United States Department of State
and its diplomatic missions around the world. On September 1, 2011, it released all of the Cablegate documents in its possession without redaction.
requires the reason for classification to be specified on all classified cables according to these classification categories:
1.4 a) military plans, weapons systems, or operations
1.4 b) foreign government information
1.4 c) intelligence activities, sources, or methods, or cryptology
1.4 d) foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources
1.4 e) scientific, technological or economic matters relating to national security; which includes defense against transnational terrorism
1.4 f) United States government programs for safeguarding nuclear materials or facilities
1.4 g) vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations, infrastructures, projects or plans, or protection services relating to the national security, which includes defense against transnational terrorism
1.4 h) weapons of mass destruction
Of the 3,420 cables published as of February 3, 2011, 2,647 are classified confidential or secret. Of these, the vast majority are labeled 1.4 (b) or 1.4 (d), or both, indicating that they contain information about foreign relations or governments.
107 of the cables are labeled 1.4 (c).
Thirty cables are labeled 1.4 (a), for information about military operations, plans, or weapons systems. These 26 cables are: 06LISBON1921, 08CURACAO82, 04BRASILIA592*, 10THEHAGUE7, 09REYKJAVIK225, 04RANGOON1100*, 09LIMA1669, 04BRASILIA1938*, 01VATICAN1261*, 09STATE81957, 09NAIROBI2497, 10ABUJA215, 08STATE65820, 09RIYADH1667, 09RIYADH1687, 09BAKU744, 08RABAT727, 08LONDON1115, 09PESHAWAR2, 09ISLAMABAD2449, 04ANKARA7211*, 05ABUDHABI2178*, 08RPODUBAI49, 09STATE96550, 10ANKARA126, 10MUSCAT71, 10ABUDHABI69, 06REYKJAVIK107, 10STATE2634, and 09STATE97244. (The cables marked with an asterisk are not available in full.)
Thirty cables are classified 1.4 (e) for national security matters: 06KINSHASA1410, 08PARIS750, 08PARIS735, 08TRIPOLI230, 07TRIPOLI967, 08TRIPOLI374, 06DARESSALAAM1593, 07KINSHASA282, 07PARIS4723, 08MADRID707, 09UNVIEVIENNA192, 07ACCRA1437, 08FREETOWN406, 08MADRID418, 09SHANGHAI160, 10KUWAIT45, 09STATE15113, 09STOCKHOLM194, 10BEIJING231, 10BEIJING263, 05LONDON4981*, 09ASHGABAT248, 09BRUSSELS536, 09UNVIEVIENNA553, 08TRIPOLI540, 08TRIPOLI635, 10WINDHOEK7, 09BRUSSELS537, 10STATE2634, and 09SHANGHAI170.
Five cables have the designation 1.4 (f) for protection of nuclear materials or facilities: 07KINSHASA797, 08LISBON1808, 08KINSHASA189, 09MOSCOW2749, and 09ASHGABAT248.
Seven are designated 1.4 (g) for national security systems. These are 07BUJUMBURA479, 10WINDHOEK7, 07BUJUMBURA515, 09STATE15113, 09STOCKHOLM194, 10SANAA5, and 10CARACAS107.
The nine cables with the label 1.4 (h) for weapons of mass destruction are 07BUJUMBURA479, 08PARIS750, 08PARIS735, 07BUJUMBURA515, 08BERLIN210, 04MADRID4887*, 05MADRID1924*, 08UNVIEVIENNA215, and 09STATE20624.
, and under US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
's name, ordered US diplomats to spy
on Ban Ki-moon
, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and other top UN officials. The intelligence information the diplomats were ordered to gather included biometric information (which apparently included DNA, fingerprints, and iris scans), passwords, and personal encryption keys used in private and commercial networks for official communications. It also included Internet and intranet usernames, e-mail addresses, web site URLs useful for identification, credit card numbers, frequent flier account numbers, and work schedules. The targeted human intelligence was requested in a process known as the National Humint Collection Directive, and was aimed at foreign diplomats of US allies as well.
Further leaked material revealed that the guidance in the cables was actually written by the National Clandestine Service
of the Central Intelligence Agency
before being sent out under Clinton's name, as the CIA cannot directly instruct State Department personnel.
The disclosed cables on the more aggressive intelligence gathering went back to 2008, when they went out under Condoleezza Rice
's name during her tenure as Secretary of State
.
, President of the European Council
and a principal representative of the European Union
, was quoted as saying to Howard W. Gutman
, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium
, that the "EU no longer believes in the success of the military mission in Afghanistan
". He also added "Europe is doing it [War in Afghanistan] and will go along out of deference to the United States, but not out of deference to Afghanistan".
In 2007, with reference to negotiations with the EU over the adoption of genetically modified crops
, the U.S. Ambassador to France recommended that "we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU".
, "is an organisation with an inferiority complex and, simultaneously, an overambitious agenda".
and Poland
known as Eagle Guardian. Nine British, German, U.S. and Polish divisions have been designated for combat operations in the event of a Russian attack. In 2011 NATO wants to conduct exercises for this new plan. The U.S. also offered to Poland to station special naval forces in Gdańsk
and Gdynia
as well as stationing F-16 fighter aircraft and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft in Poland.
, the US Department of State sought to 'help shape his approach as he begins to grapple with the world
beyond the Vatican's walls'.
, under which commitments are made to reduce emissions. The emergent U.S. emissions pledge was the lowest by any leading nation.
and listing installations and infrastructure worldwide that it considered critical to protect U.S. interests from terrorists. Before releasing this list WikiLeaks had deliberately removed details of names and locations, but much was still revealed. Ostensibly the list does not include any military facilities. Instead it includes key facilities that if attacked could disrupt the global supply chain and global communications, as well as goods and services important to the U.S. and its economy.
In the cable the U.S. State Department requests American diplomats to identify installations overseas "whose loss could critically impact the public health, economic security, and/or national and homeland security of the United States." The order was under the direction of the U.S. Department for Homeland Security
in co-ordination with the U.S. Department of State.
These are noted excerpts from the list:
The publishing of this particular cable which had been classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel, has been followed by strong criticism. U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley
said the disclosure "gives a group like al-Qaeda a targeting list." Also British prime minister David Cameron
stated that the list was damaging to the national security of both his country and the United States, "and elsewhere". WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson
said with reference to the cable: "This further undermines claims made by the US Government that its embassy officials do not play an intelligence-gathering role." Part of the cable read: "Posts are not/not being asked to consult with host governments with respect to this request."
sold Tanzania
(one of the poorest countries in the world) an overpriced radar. Objections by the then British development secretary Clare Short
were overruled by Tony Blair.
to help boost the company's sales.
United States diplomatic cables leak
The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...
that shows the United States' opinion of related affairs. Beginning on 28 November 2010, WikiLeaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
had been publishing classified documents of detailed correspondence—diplomatic cable
Diplomatic cable
A diplomatic cable, also known as a diplomatic telegram or embassy cable, is the term given to a confidential text message exchanged between a diplomatic mission, like an embassy or a consulate, and the foreign ministry of its parent country....
s—between the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
and its diplomatic missions around the world. On September 1, 2011, it released all of the Cablegate documents in its possession without redaction.
By subject
The United States Department of StateUnited States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
requires the reason for classification to be specified on all classified cables according to these classification categories:
1.4 a) military plans, weapons systems, or operations
1.4 b) foreign government information
1.4 c) intelligence activities, sources, or methods, or cryptology
1.4 d) foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources
1.4 e) scientific, technological or economic matters relating to national security; which includes defense against transnational terrorism
1.4 f) United States government programs for safeguarding nuclear materials or facilities
1.4 g) vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations, infrastructures, projects or plans, or protection services relating to the national security, which includes defense against transnational terrorism
1.4 h) weapons of mass destruction
Of the 3,420 cables published as of February 3, 2011, 2,647 are classified confidential or secret. Of these, the vast majority are labeled 1.4 (b) or 1.4 (d), or both, indicating that they contain information about foreign relations or governments.
107 of the cables are labeled 1.4 (c).
Thirty cables are labeled 1.4 (a), for information about military operations, plans, or weapons systems. These 26 cables are: 06LISBON1921, 08CURACAO82, 04BRASILIA592*, 10THEHAGUE7, 09REYKJAVIK225, 04RANGOON1100*, 09LIMA1669, 04BRASILIA1938*, 01VATICAN1261*, 09STATE81957, 09NAIROBI2497, 10ABUJA215, 08STATE65820, 09RIYADH1667, 09RIYADH1687, 09BAKU744, 08RABAT727, 08LONDON1115, 09PESHAWAR2, 09ISLAMABAD2449, 04ANKARA7211*, 05ABUDHABI2178*, 08RPODUBAI49, 09STATE96550, 10ANKARA126, 10MUSCAT71, 10ABUDHABI69, 06REYKJAVIK107, 10STATE2634, and 09STATE97244. (The cables marked with an asterisk are not available in full.)
Thirty cables are classified 1.4 (e) for national security matters: 06KINSHASA1410, 08PARIS750, 08PARIS735, 08TRIPOLI230, 07TRIPOLI967, 08TRIPOLI374, 06DARESSALAAM1593, 07KINSHASA282, 07PARIS4723, 08MADRID707, 09UNVIEVIENNA192, 07ACCRA1437, 08FREETOWN406, 08MADRID418, 09SHANGHAI160, 10KUWAIT45, 09STATE15113, 09STOCKHOLM194, 10BEIJING231, 10BEIJING263, 05LONDON4981*, 09ASHGABAT248, 09BRUSSELS536, 09UNVIEVIENNA553, 08TRIPOLI540, 08TRIPOLI635, 10WINDHOEK7, 09BRUSSELS537, 10STATE2634, and 09SHANGHAI170.
Five cables have the designation 1.4 (f) for protection of nuclear materials or facilities: 07KINSHASA797, 08LISBON1808, 08KINSHASA189, 09MOSCOW2749, and 09ASHGABAT248.
Seven are designated 1.4 (g) for national security systems. These are 07BUJUMBURA479, 10WINDHOEK7, 07BUJUMBURA515, 09STATE15113, 09STOCKHOLM194, 10SANAA5, and 10CARACAS107.
The nine cables with the label 1.4 (h) for weapons of mass destruction are 07BUJUMBURA479, 08PARIS750, 08PARIS735, 07BUJUMBURA515, 08BERLIN210, 04MADRID4887*, 05MADRID1924*, 08UNVIEVIENNA215, and 09STATE20624.
United Nations
In July 2009, a confidential cable originating from the United States Department of StateUnited States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, and under US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
's name, ordered US diplomats to spy
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
on Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and other top UN officials. The intelligence information the diplomats were ordered to gather included biometric information (which apparently included DNA, fingerprints, and iris scans), passwords, and personal encryption keys used in private and commercial networks for official communications. It also included Internet and intranet usernames, e-mail addresses, web site URLs useful for identification, credit card numbers, frequent flier account numbers, and work schedules. The targeted human intelligence was requested in a process known as the National Humint Collection Directive, and was aimed at foreign diplomats of US allies as well.
Further leaked material revealed that the guidance in the cables was actually written by the National Clandestine Service
National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service is one of the four main components of the Central Intelligence Agency...
of the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
before being sent out under Clinton's name, as the CIA cannot directly instruct State Department personnel.
The disclosed cables on the more aggressive intelligence gathering went back to 2008, when they went out under Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
's name during her tenure as Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice's tenure as Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice served as United States Secretary of State under George W. Bush. She was preceded by Colin Powell and followed by Hillary Rodham Clinton. As secretary of state she traveled widely and initiated many diplomatic efforts on behalf of the Bush administration.-Confirmation hearings:On...
.
European Union
Herman Van RompuyHerman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
, President of the European Council
President of the European Council
The President of the European Council is a principal representative of the European Union on the world stage, and the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council...
and a principal representative of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, was quoted as saying to Howard W. Gutman
Howard W. Gutman
Howard W. Gutman is the United States Ambassador to Belgium. After being nominated as Ambassador by United States President Barack Obama, Gutman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 29, 2009 and sworn in as Ambassador on August 14, 2009....
, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium
United States Ambassador to Belgium
In 1832, shortly after the creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, the United States established diplomatic relations. Since that time, a long line of distinguished envoys have represented American interests in Belgium. These diplomats included men and women whose career paths would lead them to...
, that the "EU no longer believes in the success of the military mission in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
". He also added "Europe is doing it [War in Afghanistan] and will go along out of deference to the United States, but not out of deference to Afghanistan".
In 2007, with reference to negotiations with the EU over the adoption of genetically modified crops
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
, the U.S. Ambassador to France recommended that "we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU".
Council of Europe
According to a cable from the US embassy in Strasbourg, European human rights standards are "an irritant", and their champion, the Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, "is an organisation with an inferiority complex and, simultaneously, an overambitious agenda".
NATO
NATO created plans to defend the Baltic statesBaltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
known as Eagle Guardian. Nine British, German, U.S. and Polish divisions have been designated for combat operations in the event of a Russian attack. In 2011 NATO wants to conduct exercises for this new plan. The U.S. also offered to Poland to station special naval forces in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
and Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
as well as stationing F-16 fighter aircraft and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft in Poland.
Catholic Church
After the election of Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, the US Department of State sought to 'help shape his approach as he begins to grapple with the world
beyond the Vatican's walls'.
By region
Other information in the tranche of cables released by WikiLeaks on 28 November 2010 and subsequent days included the following:Copenhagen Accord on climate change
Diplomatic cables show how the U.S. "used spying, threats and promises of aid" to gain support for the Copenhagen AccordCopenhagen Accord
The Copenhagen Accord is a document that delegates at the 15th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to "take note of" at the final plenary on 18 December 2009....
, under which commitments are made to reduce emissions. The emergent U.S. emissions pledge was the lowest by any leading nation.
List of infrastructure critical to U.S. national security
Perhaps the most sensitive of all releases as of 6 December was a cable from the U.S. State Department sent in February 2009 referencing the Critical Foreign Dependencies InitiativeCritical Foreign Dependencies Initiative
The Critical Foreign Dependencies Initiative is a strategy and list, maintained by the United States Department of Homeland Security, of foreign infrastructure which "if attacked or destroyed would critically impact the U.S." A copy of the 2008 list was redacted and leaked by WikiLeaks on 5...
and listing installations and infrastructure worldwide that it considered critical to protect U.S. interests from terrorists. Before releasing this list WikiLeaks had deliberately removed details of names and locations, but much was still revealed. Ostensibly the list does not include any military facilities. Instead it includes key facilities that if attacked could disrupt the global supply chain and global communications, as well as goods and services important to the U.S. and its economy.
In the cable the U.S. State Department requests American diplomats to identify installations overseas "whose loss could critically impact the public health, economic security, and/or national and homeland security of the United States." The order was under the direction of the U.S. Department for Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
in co-ordination with the U.S. Department of State.
These are noted excerpts from the list:
- Submarine communications cableSubmarine communications cableA submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean....
s- across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand, Australia, China and other U.S. allies in Asia.
- across the Atlantic Ocean, particularly those from the U.K. and Ireland northwards.
- Major port hubs, particularly in China, Japan and South Korea.
- Critical sea lanes, such as the Straits of Hormuz, the Panama CanalPanama CanalThe Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and the Straits of Malacca. - The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline as well as many other strategic pipelines criss-crossing Eurasia.
- In connection to these pipelines also GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and BelarusBelarusBelarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
are on the list.
- In connection to these pipelines also Georgia
- Mines that produce rare earthRare earth elementAs defined by IUPAC, rare earth elements or rare earth metals are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium...
and other much-needed metals, especially in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.- Several underwater pipelines are listed in Japan, China and Britain.
- A long list of pharmaceutical facilities in Europe.
- Ostensibly missing are also civil nuclear power plantNuclear power plantA nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
s outside of the United States. - DamDamA dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s close to the U.S. border.
The publishing of this particular cable which had been classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel, has been followed by strong criticism. U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley
Philip J. Crowley
Philip J. “P.J.” Crowley is the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, having been sworn into office on May 26, 2009. He resigned on March 13, 2011, following comments he made about the treatment of Bradley Manning. Crowley was named the 2011-2012 recipient of the...
said the disclosure "gives a group like al-Qaeda a targeting list." Also British prime minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
stated that the list was damaging to the national security of both his country and the United States, "and elsewhere". WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson
Kristinn Hrafnsson
Kristinn Hrafnsson is an Icelandic investigative journalist and frontman for the WikiLeaks organisation.He has worked at various newspapers in Iceland and had a popular TV programme on Stöð 2 , Kompás, where he and his team often exposed criminal activity and/or shocking corruption in high places...
said with reference to the cable: "This further undermines claims made by the US Government that its embassy officials do not play an intelligence-gathering role." Part of the cable read: "Posts are not/not being asked to consult with host governments with respect to this request."
Asia and Oceania
Middle East
BAE Systems
In 2002 BAE SystemsBAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
sold Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(one of the poorest countries in the world) an overpriced radar. Objections by the then British development secretary Clare Short
Clare Short
Clare Short is a British politician, and a member of the Labour Party. She was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 to 2010; for most of this period she was a Labour Party MP, but she resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an Independent. She...
were overruled by Tony Blair.
Boeing
A series of cables show how US diplomats and senior politicians intervene on behalf of BoeingBoeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
to help boost the company's sales.
Bouygues
- According to a January 2010 cable, "Bouygues Batiment InternationalBouyguesBouygues S.A. is a French industrial group headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Bouygues is listed on Euronext Paris exchange and is a blue chip in the CAC 40 stock market index. The company was founded in 1952 by Francis Bouygues and since 1989 has been led by his son Martin...
, a major French construction company, has relocated large numbers of its staff to TurkmenistanTurkmenistanTurkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
from other international operations that have closed due to the international economic downturn." In the same cable, the author comments: "Repeated visits by the company's leadership to praise the president's economic policies and to stay in his good graces helps to guarantee a stream of 'grandiose' projects".
Chevron Corporation
- On the authority of the Iraqi prime minister, the Chevron CorporationChevron CorporationChevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
has been involved in negotiations over investment in Iran, despite U.N. sanctions against Iran.
DynCorp
- Employees of DynCorp, a US government contractor funded by US tax dollars, in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
paid for the services of underage "dancing boys", apparently a euphemistic reference to Bacha bazi, which is considered child prostitution. The boys were auctionAuctionAn auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
ed off to be sexually abusedSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
by Afghan policemen, with some to be kept as sex slaves and participate in events funded by DynCorp.
Itera
- Russian-based company IteraIteraITERA International Group of Companies is a Russia-based private-owned corporate group with headquarters in Moscow. Its core business primarily focuses on gas and gas processing...
gifted Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow with a yacht worth 60 million euros.
Lockheed Martin
- Lobbying for a major Norwegian defense contract for the F-35, and with an eye on further contracts, the US Ambassador to Sweden urged that the export license for the rival fighter's radar be delayed until after the Norwegian decision, while the US Ambassador to Norway sought high level political advocacy, warned that an adverse decision would 'weaken one of the strongest pillars of our bilateral relationship' and damage Norway's long-term interests, and backed ways of 'helping the GON (Government of Norway) recognise the seriousness of their decision'. In the aftermath of the decision, the Norwegian Deputy Defense Minister said it would be 'very helpful' if the US government were to confirm there had been no political pressure to buy the plane.
McDonald's
- McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
attempted to pressure the U.S. government to stall the implementation of the Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement until El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
appointed "neutral judges" in a $24 million lawsuit against the company in 2006.
Mastercard and Visa
- U.S. diplomats lobbied Russian politicians for U.S. credit-cardCredit cardA credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
companies MastercardMasterCardMastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
and Visa Inc. A law proposal currently undergoing discussion in the Russian State DumaState DumaThe State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
proposes a National Payment Card System to collect all credit-card fees for domestic transactions. This would result in a revenue loss for Mastercard and Visa.
Monsanto
- In a 2007 cable, the US ambassador to France, Craig Roberts StapletonCraig Roberts StapletonCraig Roberts Stapleton is a former United States ambassador to France and the Czech Republic.-Biography:Stapleton was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His grandfather, Benjamin F. Stapleton, was a politician who served five terms as mayor of Denver. He received his secondary school education at...
, recommended "retaliation" against European "targets" in order to defend MonsantoMonsantoThe Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
sales of genetically modified organismGenetically modified organismA genetically modified organism or genetically engineered organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one...
s (GMOs) in Europe, where controversy over GMOsGenetically modified food controversiesThe genetically modified foods controversy is a dispute over the relative advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified food crops and other uses of genetically-modified organisms in food production. The dispute involves biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental...
is strong. In the cable, the French decision to suspend Monsanto's MON 810MON 810MON 810 is a variety of genetically modified maize developed by Monsanto Company and marketed with the trade name YieldGard. It contains a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that expresses a toxin poisonous to some pest insects, such as the European Corn Borer...
patented seed product line was described as "damaging" and not "science-based". The French government's "apparent recommitment" to the precautionary principle written in the French Constitution was also referred to as "damaging". In the cable, Stapleton stated, "Country team Paris recommends that we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU since this is a collective responsibility, but that also focuses in part on the worst culprits. The list should be measured rather than vicious and must be sustainable over the long term, since we should not expect an early victory."
- A 2007 cable reports a meeting between several agricultural biotechnology companies (DowDow-People:*Herbert Henry Dow , founder of Dow Chemical Company*Charles Dow , founder of Dow Jones & Co*James R. Dow, professor of German language*Paula Dow , 58th Attorney General of New Jersey*Neal S...
, DuPontDuPontE. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
, MonsantoMonsantoThe Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
) where they raise concerns to the French governments stance on agricultural biotechnology. The concerns included the destruction of test fields by activists, whether French police will enforce vandalism laws, whether French farmers will have to be on a public list saying they are growing GMOs, and whether France will follow EU approval guidelines. Also the cable discussed an approval dispute about a genetically modified potato variety from BASFBASFBASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
which the French government showed signs of approving, but later ruled against. No United States government representatives were involved.
- A 2009 cable reports the 13 May meeting of US diplomats report with Monsanto's Director for Biotechnology for Spain and Portugal. The representative voices concerns over increased "Anti-biotechnology activists in the EU" and their attempts to build support for a prohibition on cultivation of the MON810 corn variety. The cable concludes with an action request for continued support of "Spain's science-based agricultural biotechnology position" in response to the requests of Monsanto and Spanish Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs State Secretary Josep Puxeu.
Pfizer
- The drug company PfizerPfizerPfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
hired private investigatorPrivate investigatorA private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
s to find evidence against the Nigerian attorney generalAttorney GeneralIn most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Michael AondoakaaMichael AondoakaaMichael Kaase Aondoakaa was Nigeria's justice minister from July 2007 to 10 February 2010.-Background:Michael Kaase Aondoakaa was born in Benue on 12 June 1962. He attended the University of Maiduguri, where he studied law...
to pressure him into dropping charges against the company. Pfizer was sued in Nigeria over the deaths of children in drug trials.
Petro-Canada
- Libya’s state oil company called in a senior Petro-CanadaPetro-CanadaPetro-Canada was a crown corporation of Canada in the field of oil and natural gas. It was headquartered in the Petro-Canada Centre in Calgary, Alberta. In August, 2009, Petro-Canada merged with Suncor Energy, a deal in which Suncor investors received approximately 60 per cent ownership of the...
official with a threat to nationalize the firm’s operations in Libya if the Canadian government refused to apologize to the Libyan government. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence CannonLawrence CannonLawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
had earlier promised a tongue-lashing for the hero’s welcome that Libya extended to a man convicted in the 1988 Lockerbie bombingPan Am Flight 103Pan Am Flight 103 was Pan American World Airways' third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London Heathrow Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport...
. While the Libyan government did not follow through on its threat, it did issue an order on 30 September 2009 for Petro-Canada to cut production by 50 per cent.
Royal Dutch Shell
- Ann Pickard, Royal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
's then-vice-president for Sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
, claimed that they had "seconded people to all the relevant ministries" and therefore was informed about all important political decisions.
Diplomatic analysis of individual leaders
The leaked diplomatic cables provided criticism of varying degree by U.S. embassy staff of their host governments: These details were quite embarrassing to both leaders as well as the U.S. officials who worked on these cables.External links
- Secret US Embassy Cables website by WikiLeaksWikileaksWikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
- The US embassy cables by The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- State's Secrets by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- WikiLeaks Diplomatic Cables by Der SpiegelDer SpiegelDer Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
- Dedicated News Website
- Dutch Wikileaks Mirror by WikiLeaksWikileaksWikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
- All Cables on Google Fusion Tables
- Cablesearch.org Full text search of released cables.
- dazzlepod.com/cable Comprehensive browser for WikiLeaks cables with email and Twitter alerts.