§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who authorised, and for what purpose, Britain's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone to accompany the Kabbah Government into exile following the military coup. [51877]
§ Mr. Robin CookFollowing the military coup, like the rest of the international community, the United Kingdom continued to regard President Kabbah as the head of the legitimate Government of Sierra Leone. We were in the lead in efforts to achieve the peaceful restoration of that Government.
Although the junta was in power in Freetown, large parts of Sierra Leone were under the control of forces loyal to President Kabbah, and it was widely expected that the junta would not remain in power. It was important to remain in close contact with the President and to maintain the High Commissioner's strong relationship with him. Ministers therefore agreed that the High Commissioner should, on a temporary basis, stay in Conakry, where he had been evacuated after the coup in Freetown.