§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what levels the four reports despatched to his Department by the British Embassy in294W Madrid, relating to the investigations by Judge Garzon, were read, and when; which desks these reports were forwarded to for information within his Department and to where outside his Department; and what action was taken as a result. [70284]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 9 February 1999]: The reports of 12 November 1997 and 23 January 1998 were read at desk level in the Department; the former was sent to our Embassy in Santiago; the latter to our Embassies in Santiago and Buenos Aires. The reports of 15 and 16 October were read at senior official level in the FCO, passed to the Home Office on 16 October, and drawn on in briefing the Foreign Secretary on 16 October before Senator Pinochet was detained.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature of the informal indication to the British Embassy in Santiago in early September 1998 that Augusto Pinochet was to visit the United Kingdom; what reports were sent to his Department as a consequence; what reference was made in internal communications to potential legal and diplomatic difficulties that might ensue; and if such reports were brought to his attention. [70285]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 9 February 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Ruislip Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 29 October 1998, Official Report, columns 273–74, and to the answer my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Symons, gave to the nobel Lord Lamont of Lerwick in another place on 11 January 1999, Official Report, House of Lords, column 3. The reports subsequently circulated with the FCO made no reference to potential legal and diplomatic difficulties. This was reported to me over the weekend 19/20 September.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the contents of the note faxed to his Department on 9 October 1998 by the British Embassy in Santiago relating to reports of General Pinochet' s death; at what level in his Department this was read; and what action was taken in response. [70287]
§ Mr. Tony LloydOur Embassy in Santiago telephoned the Resident Clerk late on 9 October following inquiries from the press about reports that Senator Pinochet had died that afternoon in London. The Resident Clerk obtained confirmation from the Chilean Embassy that the reports were untrue and informed our Embassy. The Embassy's subsequent note to the Department recording this exchange was received after Senator Pinochet was detained.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (i) minutes and (ii) other documents are held by his Department relating to telephone calls made by representatives of the Chilean Embassy concerning the departure from the UK of General Pinochet prior to the issuing of the arrest warrant; what was the nature of the discussions; at what time of day those discussions took place; and if he will make a statement. [70289]
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§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 9 February]: For details of the telephone calls between the Chilean Ambassador and Foreign Office officials, 1 refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. Trend) on 25 January 1999, Official Report, column 149, and on 1 February 1999, Official Report, columns 496–97. As I have already made clear, both conversations took place before the receipt of the request from the Spanish authorities for the provisional arrest of Senator Pinochet.
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