Letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign
and Commonwealth Affairs from the Chairman of the Committee, 1
December 2004
The Committee has noted recent press reports
about documents passed to the FCO in January 2004, which contained
advance information about the planned coup in Equatorial Guinea.
I have been asked to put a number of questions to you.
What assurances can you provide that the Government's
failure to pass on the information it had received to the Government
of Equatorial Guinea were fully consistent with its obligations
under international law?
Who in the FCO received this information, when
and from whom? When were Ministers briefed about it?
Can you assure the Committee that the Guidance
on contacts with private military and security companies was fully
complied with at all stages?
I hope that it will be possible for you to reply
to this letter on or before 20 December.
Rt Hon Donald Anderson MP
Chairman of the Committee
1 December 2004
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