MEGRAHI PAPERS LEAVE UK WITH QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.

MEGRAHI PAPERS LEAVE UK WITH QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.

“DRIVES COACH AND HORSES THROUGH GRAY’S POSITION IN SCOTLAND”

The release of papers relating to the UK negotiation of a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Libya and papers from the Scottish Government on the consideration of applications both for PTA and for Compassionate release have left the UK Government with key questions to answer. · A note of a meeting between the Scottish and Libyan Government’s includes a claim by the Libyan Government that Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell told Libya that neither Gordon Brown nor David Miliband wanted Megrahi to “pass away” in jail. · The papers confirm that an initial UK Government agreement to exclude Abdelbasset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi from the Prisoner Transfer Agreement was rejected in “the national interest”. · They also show the UK Government originally said it had agreed that Mr Megrahi should serve his sentence in a Scottish jail, only to state to the Scottish Government at a later date that there was no obstacle to prisoner transfer. Commenting on today’s revelations SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP said; “These papers show the wisdom of Kenny MacAskill’s decision to reject the tainted PTA process, and grant compassionate release on the basis of the unanimous advice and evidence. “And they leave many unanswered questions for the UK Government. “With the report of Bill Rammell’s claim that neither Gordon Brown nor David Miliband wanted Megrahi to die in a Scottish jail it seems the UK Government were bending over backwards to show Libya they had no objection to Megrahi’s release – which drives a coach and horses through Labour’s position in Scotland, leaving Iain Gray in an impossible position.” NOTES: 1. Report by Libyan Minister of comments from UK Foreign Office Minister of State Bill Rammell Meeting between Scottish Government officials and Libyan delegation on Thursday 12 March 2009, Glasgow. “Mr Alobidi [Libyan Minister for Europe] spoke of Mr Bill Rammell’s (Minister of State Foreign and Commonwealth Office) visit to Tripoli in February and that they had discussed the matter of the PTA. Mr Alobidi confirmed that he had reiterated to Mr Rammell that the death of Mr Megrahi in a Scottish prison would have catastrophic effects for the relationship between Libya and the UK. Mr Alobidi went on to say that Mr Rammell had stated that neither the Prime Minister nor the Foreign Secretary would want Mr Megrahi to pass away in prison but the decision on transfer lies in the hands of the Scottish Ministers.” 2. Exclusion / Inclusion of Megrahi in PTA agreement · Jack Straw to KM 17th September 2007 - "A new sub-paragraph will be added to Article 3, Conditions for Transfer, which will include as a condition for transfer that the prisoner has not been convicted of a criminal offence connected with the destruction of Pan American World Airways Flight 103 on 21st December 1988. My officials will make clear to the Libyan authorities that without this addition it will not be possible to conclude a prisoner transfer agreement." · Jack Straw to KM 19th December 2007 - "I had previously accepted the importance of the Al Megrahi issue to Scotland and said I would try to get an exclusion for him on the face of the agreement. I have not been able to secure a specific exclusion….an exclusion on the face of the agreement makes no difference to Al-Megrahi's situation. 3. Understanding on where Megrahi would serve his sentence · Lord Falconer , 22 June 2007 “Libya agreed prior to Mr al-Megrahi’s trial that anyone convicted of the Lockerbie bombing would serve their sentence in Scotland. We have reminded them of this and made clear on diplomatic channels that, for this reason, any PTA with Libya could not cover Mr al-Megrahi.” · Ivan Lewis MP, Minister of State at the FCO replied on 3 August. He reiterated that it is for the UK Government (rather than the Scottish government) to assess and advise on the extent of any international obligations and undertakings, and that their advice is that there is no legal bar to Mr Al-Megrahi’s transfer arising from the joint UK-US letter, UN security Council resolution or accompanying negotiations (Prisoner Transfer Agreement, Advice to the Justice Secretary, 20th August – Scottish Government website)