§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what liaison took place between the British consulate and the Turkish authorities on the disappearance of Edgar Fernandes; what subsequent liaison has taken place; and at what level. [42104]
§ Mr. FatchettThe British Consulate General in Istanbul formally requested the Head Prosecutor in Istanbul to investigate urgently the disappearance of Edgar Fernandes. The Consul had meetings with the Deputy Chief of Police and the Head of Interpol about the matter. The Vice Consul accompanied a member of the Fernandes family to the Prosecutor's office following confirmation of Edgar Fernandes's death.
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§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Egyptian authorities to further the investigation into Edgar Fernandes's death. [42107]
§ Mr. FatchettOur Embassy in Cairo had asked the Egyptian authorities for a photograph of an Egyptian national suspected of being involved in Edgar Fernandes's death to assist in police investigations. The Egyptian national has been detained by the police in Malta. The Turkish authorities are investigating the death of Mr. Fernandes in Turkey.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to recover Edgar Fernandes's passport. [42106]
§ Mr. FatchettThe British Consulate-General in Istanbul was informed by the Turkish authorities on 5 May that they had a record of Edgar Fernandes's passport leaving Turkey at the Bulgarian border on 20 April. Further checks by the British Embassy in Sofia on 6 May showed that a person using that passport entered Bulgaria by train from Turkey on 20 April and left by foot at Kulhata on the Greek border on 21 April.
Unfortunately, the Greek authorities do not keep records of EU passport holders entering/departing Greece. Interpol UK are currently following this matter up with the Greek authorities.