Correspondence sent to the Committee by
the Mauritius High Commission
Letter from the Head of Mission, Mauritius
High Commission, London, to the Chairman of the Committee
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE
With reference to the invitation to submit written
evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice, we have the pleasure to
forward herewith a copy of a letter dated 19 November 2002 from
the Hon. A.K. Gayan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional
Co-operation of Mauritius, addressed to the Secretary of State
for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, responding to the FCO Travel
Advice issued following the Bali terrorist attacks.
Head of Mission
Mauritius High Commission
27 January 2003
Letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Regional Co-operation, Mauritius, to the Secretary of State,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
I was taken aback by the country advice issued
by the Foreign Office in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks
in Bali mentioning that British nationals could be targets in
tourist destinations such as Mauritius.
We agree that each and every country should
ensure the security and safety of its citizens wherever they are
in the world. Indeed the recent arrests in the London area of
North Africans suspected of targeting London Underground and the
recent statements of Prime Minister Tony Blair on the high level
of risks in the United Kingdom at present confirm the need for
constant vigilance and intelligence gathering. While we appreciate
your obligation to warn your citizens against potential threats
anywhere in the world, we believe that there is no justification
in including Mauritius among "risky" tourist destinations.
We have since September 11 buttressed our security
measures and we are working with friendly countries by exchange
of intelligence information to ensure that the terrorists are
denied all opportunities to perpetrate their monstrous designs.
In view of the great prejudice your warning
has caused to the tourist industry in Mauritius, I would appreciate
if you could on an appropriate occasion dispel the impression
it has created. You can rest assured that Mauritius will take
all measures to guarantee the security and safety of every individual
within its jurisdiction.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation
Republic of Mauritius
21 January 2003
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