APPENDIX 5
Memorandum submitted by the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office on Security Arrangements for Diplomatic Staff
in Athens
Thank you for your letter of 13 June about the
murder of Brigadier Stephen Saunders in Athens. This tragedy is
a reminder of the risks that embassy staff run. Our highest priority
is to do all we can to protect them from such terrorist outrages,
striking a balance between doing everything possible to ensure
their safety, while at the same time being open to, and involving
themselves fully in the countries where they are working.
Question 1: Is it correct that the FCO reviewed
security in Athens earlier this year, and that the Military Attaché
was not regarded as under threat?
1. The Security Service assessed in October
1999 that British interests in Greece were at a moderate level
of threat from terrorism, indicating that there was a potential
for such interests to be singled out for attack. This, together
with the general security background, was taken into account when
our Overseas Security Adviser made, in March 2000, his periodic
review of security at the Embassy in Athens. At the time of that
visit there were no indications that the potential threat to the
Defence Attaché was greater than that to other staff in
Athens or indeed to other staff serving a number of other posts.
UK threat levels and protective measures in Greece are broadly
compatible with those of the other European NATO partners.
Question 2: Can the Committee be given, on a classified
basis, the security assessment made at the time of the last review
of security in Athens?
2. For the Committee's confidential use,
a copy of the report of the FCO's Overseas Security Adviser following
his visit to Athens in March 2000 is enclosed. I should be grateful
if you could protect it carefully, and return it to me when the
Committee are finished with it.
Question 3: It has been reported that the USA
recently assessed the security risk in Athens as high, second
only to Bogota. What is the reason for the discrepancy between
the British and US assessments?
3. In view of the Americans' experience
at the hands of terrorists globally, and in Greece over the past
27 years, (during which period they have had five of their personnel
killed), their assessment of the threat to their interests is
generally higher than ours. We have no knowledge of any US report
that might have suggested that the risk to US interests in Athens
was second only to Bogota.
Congress has approved an additional budget of
US$ 11.4 billion over the next 10 years to improve terrorist defences
for US missions overseas. Much of that money will go into building
new embassies—50 over the next five years—some of
which may in effect be fortresses. It was to take account of the
possibility of "displacement attacks" on our missions
as a result the increasing threat to US embassies (eg the attacks
on Nairobi and Dar in 1998), and much more rigorous American security
that followed these attacks, that the FCO Board of Management
in March 1999 released £1.8 million of existing resources
and, in January this year, a further £10 million over three
years, for security improvements to a wide range of missions.
In our 2000 Spending Review Bid we sought, also partly in response
to the displacement risk, a further £10 million of new resources
to further strengthen our defences. We very much hope that the
Treasury will respond favourably to our bid.
Question 4: The Committee noted the pattern of
attacks by November 17 terrorists on US military targets; their
attempted rocket attack on HMS Ark Royal in 1994; the likelihood
of a backlash against the USA and UK in Greece because of Kosovo,
and the normal terrorist ploy of attacking soft targets when hard
targets become too difficult. In the circumstances, the Committee
would like to know what attention was paid to each of these factors
in assessing the level of protection necessary to the Military
Attaché and other personnel in Athens, and why it was decided
that the level of protection afforded was adequate.
4. All the factors listed in your letter
were among those taken into account by the Security Service in
formulating the threat assessment current at the time. The FCO
Security Adviser's report of March 2000 took account of this threat
assessment and other relevant factors in making recommendations
on embassy security. As noted in (1) above, there was no evidence
available suggesting an enhanced level of risk to the Defence
Attaché or any other member of staff.
Questions 5 and 6: What lessons have been learnt
from the murder of Brigadier Saunders, and how will these be applied
in Athens and worldwide? What assessment does the FCO make of
the consequences of increased protection for its officers on their
ability to exercise their functions? For example, what is the
trade-off between increased security and accessibility?
5. and 6. Brigadier Saunders' death is a
tragic reminder of the inherent vulnerability of diplomats to
terrorist attack. Because of this vulnerability, we continually
review and pay close attention to the security of staff, of their
homes and of their working environment. Staff are briefed on personal
security and provided with a booklet (copy enclosed) on Personal
Protective Measures Overseas before they go abroad. This latter
contains advice which staff are encouraged to observe in their
daily lives. They are also given a security briefing on arrival
at post and reminded at regular intervals of measures they should
be observing.
Sadly however, it is impossible to provide total
security to our diplomatic staff without preventing them from
carrying out their tasks of representaiton and contact making.
The increasing global nature of the terrorist threat, moreover,
makes identification of high risk posts an ever more difficult
task. Unfortunately, despite our most energetic efforts, it will
be impossible to guarantee the safety of every member of staff
against a determined terrorist (particularly when travelling).
Question 7: How does the Government intend to
press for measures to be taken, both by Greece and within the
EU, to ensure that the murderers are brought to justice and that
similar outrages are prevented?
7. Our Ministers have impressed upon the
Greek Government on every possible occasion the need to pursue
their investigations into Brigadier Saunders' murder with the
utmost vigour, and to bring the perpetrators to justice. EU partners
have done likewise. At the EU Heads of Government meeting in Feira
on 19 and 20 June the Prime Minster raised this again with Prime
Minister Simitis, and the Foreign Secretary spoke to George Papandreou.
Both promised full Greek cooperation. A Metropolitan Police team
is in Athens helping the Greek authorities with their investigations
into the murder and its members are receiving full cooperation.
The British Government is determined to pursue this matter to
a satisfactory conclusion.
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