§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings his Department has had with US officials and representatives in the last 12 months at which the issue of the Guantanamo Bay detainees has been formally raised. [139470]
§ Mr. Mullin[holding answer 19 November 2003]: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials have had regular discussions with the United States authorities in the last 12 months about the British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay. The Government does not consider it appropriate to disclose detailed information about the dates of such negotiations since it would undermine the confidential nature of these diplomatic communications.
However, the Government's frequent contacts with my right hon. Friend the US Administration on this issue have included discussions between the Prime Minister and the US President and between UK and US Ministers, senior officials and lawyers. Since July, the Attorney General has led the UK in detailed discussions with the US Administration to resolve the position of all the British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay.