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Straw 'backed down' over Megrahi | Straw 'backed down' over Megrahi |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Justice Secretary Jack Straw dropped a demand to exclude the Lockerbie bomber from a Libyan prisoner transfer accord, the Sunday Times has reported. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw dropped a demand to exclude the Lockerbie bomber from a Libyan prisoner transfer accord, the Sunday Times has reported. |
Letters leaked to the paper say Mr Straw wanted to exclude Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi from the accord. | Letters leaked to the paper say Mr Straw wanted to exclude Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi from the accord. |
But he backed down, citing "overwhelming" UK interests in advance of a major oil deal. | But he backed down, citing "overwhelming" UK interests in advance of a major oil deal. |
Mr Straw called the news "academic" - as Megrahi was freed on compassionate grounds, not under the transfer accord. | Mr Straw called the news "academic" - as Megrahi was freed on compassionate grounds, not under the transfer accord. |
And he stressed that the Scottish authorities would still have had a veto over any move to send Megrahi home under the transfer agreement. | And he stressed that the Scottish authorities would still have had a veto over any move to send Megrahi home under the transfer agreement. |
A stalled oil deal was ratified by the Libyans six weeks after the government dropped its bid to exclude him from the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA), the paper says. | A stalled oil deal was ratified by the Libyans six weeks after the government dropped its bid to exclude him from the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA), the paper says. |
Scottish veto | Scottish veto |
Mr Straw's change of stance over Megrahi's inclusion the transfer agreement came at a crucial time in negotiations over an oil exploration contract for BP worth billions of pounds. | Mr Straw's change of stance over Megrahi's inclusion the transfer agreement came at a crucial time in negotiations over an oil exploration contract for BP worth billions of pounds. |
The paper says Mr Straw wrote to his Scottish counterpart Kenny MacAskill on 19 December 2007 and said: "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 an explicit exclusion. | The paper says Mr Straw wrote to his Scottish counterpart Kenny MacAskill on 19 December 2007 and said: "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 an explicit exclusion. |
There was no U-turn, says Mr Straw | |
"The wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage and, in view of the overwhelming interests for the UK, I have agreed that in this instance the [PTA] should be in the standard form and not mention any individual." | "The wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage and, in view of the overwhelming interests for the UK, I have agreed that in this instance the [PTA] should be in the standard form and not mention any individual." |
Mr MacAskill released Megrahi on 20 August on compassionate grounds, eight years into his 27-year sentence for murdering 270 people in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103. | Mr MacAskill released Megrahi on 20 August on compassionate grounds, eight years into his 27-year sentence for murdering 270 people in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103. |
Megrahi has since backed calls for a public inquiry into the bombing, saying he is determined to clear his name. | Megrahi has since backed calls for a public inquiry into the bombing, saying he is determined to clear his name. |
Mr Straw has denied suggestions that the release was linked to Britain's commercial interests. | Mr Straw has denied suggestions that the release was linked to Britain's commercial interests. |
"The negotiations over a prisoner transfer agreement were part of a wider agreement for the normalisation of relations with Libya as part of bringing them into the international community," he said. | "The negotiations over a prisoner transfer agreement were part of a wider agreement for the normalisation of relations with Libya as part of bringing them into the international community," he said. |
"It was always made clear to the Libyans that, as with all other such agreements, the sentencing jurisdiction - in this case Scotland - had a right to veto any individual application, including that of any application from Mr Megrahi. | "It was always made clear to the Libyans that, as with all other such agreements, the sentencing jurisdiction - in this case Scotland - had a right to veto any individual application, including that of any application from Mr Megrahi. |
"Not withstanding ministers' right of veto, the Scottish Executive wanted a specific carve-out from the PTA treaty in respect of Mr Megrahi. I gave instructions to British negotiators to try to secure this. | "Not withstanding ministers' right of veto, the Scottish Executive wanted a specific carve-out from the PTA treaty in respect of Mr Megrahi. I gave instructions to British negotiators to try to secure this. |
"However, such an exclusion went beyond the standard form of PTA treaties and in the event an agreement for a PTA in the standard form - including the rights of veto of any application - was agreed. | "However, such an exclusion went beyond the standard form of PTA treaties and in the event an agreement for a PTA in the standard form - including the rights of veto of any application - was agreed. |
"All this, however, is academic as Mr Megrahi was not released under the PTA treaty but quite separately by the Scottish Executive on compassionate grounds. | "All this, however, is academic as Mr Megrahi was not released under the PTA treaty but quite separately by the Scottish Executive on compassionate grounds. |
"The Scottish Executive also refused his PTA application. This process was made clear at every stage to Libyan negotiators." | "The Scottish Executive also refused his PTA application. This process was made clear at every stage to Libyan negotiators." |