§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings members of his Department have held with General Pinochet over the last three years. [17825]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1997, c. 615]Additional information has reached me, since my answer of 27 November. The correct answer is as follows.
There have been two meetings involving members of my Department, in March 1995 and March 1996. These involved the then Ambassador to Santiago accompanying visiting MOD staff on the two occasions during this period when courtesy calls were made on General Pinochet as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army. Discussions were of a general nature and did not cover 24W defence sales. Apart from these calls British Embassy staff in Santiago have attended several official state and military functions at which General Pinochet, again in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, was also present. No discussions took place between these staff and General Pinochet at these events.