FOREIGN SECRETARY MILIBAND SUBMITS RENDITION

S E C R E T LONDON 001777

NOFORN

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER UK
SUBJECT: FOREIGN SECRETARY MILIBAND SUBMITS RENDITION
STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard LeBaron for
reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (S/NF) Foreign Office Director for Defence and Strategic
Threats Simon Manley informed Poloff July 2 that the Foreign
Office would submit Foreign Secretary Miliband's written
statement on rendition to Parliament July 2, for entry into
Parliamentary records July 3. Manley said the statement (see
Para 2) had been cleared by "State and (GPRO)." There are no
plans for an oral statement, but questions from MP's are
likely over the next week and the statement will likely
attract considerable press attention as well as skepticism
from NGOs and op-ed writers.

FS Miliband's Written Statement on Rendition
--------------


2. (U) Begin Statement: Terrorist Suspects (Rendition)

On 21 February I made a statement to the House regarding new
information we had been passed by the US Government regarding
rendition. Contrary to earlier assurances that Diego Garcia
had not been used for rendition flights, US investigations
had revealed two occasions, both in 2002, when this had in
fact occurred. Since February, I have corresponded with
Secretary Rice on this issue and our officials have continued
to work through the details and implications of the new
information.

I promised the House that, as part of this of this (sic)
process, my officials would compile a list of flights where
we had been alerted to concern about rendition through the UK
or our Overseas Territories. The list which they have
compiled, containing 391 flights, reflects concerns put to us
by hon. Members, members of the public, multilateral
organisations and non-governmental organisations. Inclusion
on this list does not represent an official endorsement of
any allegations about a particular flight. On the contrary,
US government flights as with other government flights occur
regularly for a variety of purposes. Our intention was to
collate in one place those concerns that had been put to us
directly. The list was passed to the US on 15 May. I
undertook in February to publish the list and have today
placed a copy in the library of the House and published it on
the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).

The United States Government received the list of flights
from the UK Government. The United States Government
confirmed that, with the exception of two cases related to
Diego Garcia in 2002, there have been no other instances in
which US intelligence flights landed in the United Kingdom,
its Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a
detainee on board since September 11, 2001.

Our US allies are agreed on the need to seek our permission
for any future renditions through UK territory. Secretary
Rice has underlined to me the firm US understanding that
there will be no rendition through the UK, our Overseas
Territories and Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board
since September 11, 2001.

Our US Allies are agreed on the need to seek our permission
for any future renditions through UK territory. Secretary
Rice has underlined to me the firm US understanding that
there will be no rendition through the UK, our Overseas
Territories and Crown Dependencies or Airspace without first
receiving our express permission. We have made clear that we
would only grant such permission if we were satisfied that
the rendition would accord with UK law and our international
obligations. The circumstances of any such request would be
carefully examined on a case-by-case basis.

Our intelligence and counter-terrorism relationship with the
US is vital to the national security of the United Kingdom.
There must and will continue to be the strongest possible
intelligence and counter-terrorism relationship between our
two countries, consistent with UK law and our international
obligations. (End Text)


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