§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when his Department was first informed of the increased threat to visitors to Zanzibar; [92169]
(2) when the British high commission in Dar es Salaam responded to the increased terrorist threat to visitors to Tanzania, especially Zanzibar; and what action was taken; [92170]
(3) what reports his Department received from the (a) Russian and (b) US authorities concerning the increased terrorist threat to visitors to Zanzibar, and when. [92172]
§ Mr. StrawWe learnt that the US were changing their travel advice for Zanzibar on the evening of 10 January. Our existing advice already gave a robust warning to British travellers of the risks involved in going to Tanzania—including Zanzibar. Following discussions between missions locally and between FCO officials and the US State Department on why they had changed their travel advice and an assessment of the latest available intelligence, we amended our travel advice for Tanzania on 15 January. I cannot, of course, comment on the 469W specifics of intelligence matters. However, the Agencies receive a large number of reports on a daily basis from a range of foreign liaison services. Relationships with these liaison services, which include the Americans and the Russians, are strong and positive.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department updated the FCO travel advice concerning the increased terrorist threat to visitors to Zanzibar; and if he will make a statement. [92171]
§ Mr. StrawThe FCO travel advice for Tanzania, which includes Zanzibar, was last up-dated on 15 January 2003.
The Travel Advice notice already gave appropriate warnings to British travellers of the risks involved in going to Tanzania—including Zanzibar. The revised advice included additional information about the risks on Zanzibar but did not change the advice.
Our advice throughout this period has been in line with that of both the Americans and the Australians—all of us warned that there were dangers in travelling to east Africa in general and to Zanzibar specifically; none of us advised against travel. Australia up-dated its advice on 16 January in line with changes in UK and US advice. The French amended their advice on 17 January.