§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 June,Official Report, column 674, what contact Mr. Giles Chichester and Mr. Michael Rogers had with the United Nations mission in Geneva on 24 July 1993; and what information the United Kingdom mission had of their activities regarding SASEA and the issue of bonds by Warburgs.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmorySince the answer of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to an earlier question on 17 June at columnn674, the consulate-general in Geneva has confirmed that Mr. Michael Rogers telephoned the vice-consul on 26 July 1993 seeking advice on how he might arrange a private visit for Mr. Giles Chichester to the United Nations in Geneva.
As is usual, the consulate-general was happy to assist. An exchange of faxes with the United Nations visits section set up the visit for 31 July 1993. Apart from a faxed message of thanks from Mr. Rogers after the visit had taken place, there has been no further contact with the consulate-general or any other United Kingdom office in Geneva on this matter.
Because of its private nature, we have no record of the substance of the visit by Mr. Chichester to the United Nations offices in Geneva in July 1993.
Furthermore, we have no knowledge of the activities of Messrs. Chichester and Rogers regarding SASEA and the issue of bonds by Warburgs.