Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Carne Ross, Turkey and Middle East, BAE/Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Loans Inquiry
Carne Ross
Asked to comment on John Major’s call for an independent inquiry following the Carne Ross revelations, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that there had been four independent inquiries into these matters, all having full access to all the information they required, and all four came to conclusions which have been published. Therefore all these matters have been the subject of not just one inquiry, but four inquiries.
Turkey and Middle East
Asked if the Prime Minister accepted that what had been agreed in Brussels on Turkey in net terms was a negative rather than a positive, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister believed the important point was that this Summit had kept the momentum going. Of the 35 chapters, 28 were still on going, that was important. The momentum to addressing the concerns that would allow the other 7 chapters to be addressed was being looked at. Turkey was aware of the need to keep going. Turkey had expressed its disappointment, but equally Turkey was very much still in the game. So therefore the momentum towards accession was being maintained. He added that part of the reason for going to Turkey was to underline our support for that continuing process. Part of it was also because it was recognised, particularly at the moment, that Turkey was a vital player in the Middle East region as a whole and that it has relationships with other people in the Middle East region that were important. Turkey had expressed its disappointment, but they were very much still in the game, this was what mattered.
Put to him that the Prime Minister should be visiting Cyprus as they were the country blocking negotiations, and that he should also be speaking to the Germans since it appeared that Chancellor Merkel was swapping her position on Turkey, the PMOS said that he would not intervene in German politics or give a running commentary on the position of the German Chancellor. In terms of the first question, there were criteria that Turkey had to meet in terms of what it was supposed to do to allow progress to be made. There were concerns whether Turkey was meeting those criteria, which was a factor. What was important was that people did not portray this as being an endless road. Far from it, they were very much on the road as a result of this summer. Not quite going at the pace that was hoped, but still very much on the road. It was important now to talk to Turkey about how we would get to the end of the road. Asked again about Cyprus, the PMOS said that they were in communications with them, but it was important that on this trip we talk to Turkey, and we talk also about the broader Middle East issues as Turkey was an important player.
Asked what the Prime Minister would be doing this evening in Turkey, the PMOS said the Prime Minister would be meeting Prime Minister Erogodan at a dinner.
Asked what the Prime Minister expected to get out of the visit to the Middle East over the next week, the PMOS said the Prime Minister intended to use the visit to underline that he believes a two state solution is way forward, to find out what the obstacles are to moving forward, to say to the Palestinians that there is a choice in terms of moving forward now in trying to get a Palestinian state established. Any decisions taken now should be made with that choice in mind. A Palestinian state is not just in the interests of Palestine, and in the interests a secure Israel, but in the wider Middle East. The Prime Minister wants also to build on the support of moderate Muslim countries and leaders and to find the momentum to get a Palestinian state established, and a two state solution established.
BAE/Saudi Arabia
Asked if the Prime Minister had met any executives or representatives from BAe in the last three months, the PMOS replied that he was not aware that he had.
Summarising what was said yesterday on Saudi Arabia, the PMOS said that the Attorney General’s view, having gone through the evidence, was that it was unlikely that a successful prosecution resulting in conviction could be brought, even after a further period of investigation. In short, he didn’t think the case was going anywhere. Secondly there was the national security consideration. Saudi Arabia remains a vital partner in our fight against counter-terrorism. So it is important for those two reasons to be considered as part of this.
Asked when the decision was taken and could he accept that the way this story came out was, in the long run, very bad for the political party, the PMOS replied that the second question was based on the false premise of the first. Given the press sensitivity, the Serious Fraud Office announced its decision to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) at the earliest possible opportunity yesterday. The Attorney General then informed Parliament by oral statement as Mike O’Brien did in the House. Both opposition parties were briefed on the issue as early as possible in advance of the statement being made. And given the market sensitivity of the announcement, it was not possible to make it public before 4.30pm yesterday afternoon, when the Stock Exchange closed for business. That was the reason for the timing.
Asked what the Prime Minister’s view was on the commercial implications, given that the Attorney General had said this was something he could not take a view on, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister did mention the impact of jobs this morning, leaving it aside, it was a consideration. He added that the principle reasons for the decision were that it was unlikely that there would be a prosecution, and the considerations of national security. On the second point, these were not light considerations, in both the fight against terrorism and Saudi Arabia’s role in trying to promote progress in the Middle East. These were national considerations that had to be taken into account. Put to him that the effect on jobs formed part of the Prime Minister’s thinking, the PMOS replied that he was trying to put words in the Prime Minister’s mouth. The Prime Minister said leaving aside the effect on jobs, there will be other considerations including national security. He reiterated that the matters considered by the Attorney General were as he had set out, the fact that a successful prosecution was unlikely, and secondly the interest of national security.
Put to him that the Prime Minister had always made it clear that the fight against corruption had to be at the heart of talking poverty in developing countries, and that the decision over BAe completely undermined our efforts to promote good governance elsewhere, the PMOS replied that view was ignoring the Attorney General’s opinion that it was unlikely that there would be a successful prosecution resulting in a conviction. Put to him that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) disagreed with this and that they felt it was worth pursuing, the PMOS replied that this was the journalist’s assertion, not his knowledge.
Asked if the Prime Minister accepted that this meant the rule of law can come second to national security, and would this be a precedent that he was happy for other people around the world to look towards Britain as an example we would like to set, the PMOS replied that his reply was the same as the previous question. This view ignored the fact that the Attorney General said it was unlikely that there would be a successful prosecution.
Asked if this decision meant that jobs would now be secured, the PMOS replied that what we always hoped was that British industry prospered and that people’s jobs were safeguarded. But the reason for the Attorney General coming to this decision was as had already been set out.
Put to him that it was more usual for the Attorney General to make his deliberation on whether or not a prosecution was likely to succeed once the investigation had been completed, and wouldn’t it have been better to give the FSA time to conclude their investigation, the PMOS again pointed the journalist to exactly what the Attorney General had said. Even after a further period of investigation, it was unlikely that a successful prosecution could be brought. This was a perfectly valid judgement for the Attorney General to have made.
Asked if there were any further details as to what the security and intelligence investigation was about, the PMOS said it was in regard to the fight against terrorism. Given Saudi Arabia’s position in the world is a very important ally in the fight against terrorism.
Asked if the Attorney General looked at the case himself or asked others to look at the case, and if the security aspect of Saudi Arabia was a coincidental matter or a factor in the Attorney General’s decision, if security was a factor who did the Attorney General take advice from, the PMOS said that it was not for him to brief on the processes of the Attorney General and how he reaches decisions, in terms of national security he said he wasn’t saying it was incidental, these are judgements which are made in the round, on the balance. The PMOS went to say that reporters should report what the Attorney General has said; firstly it was unlikely that would be a prosecution, and secondly, the national interest in terms of national security had to be taken into account. Asked if the Attorney General took advice from the Prime Minister, the PMOS said he did not go into the processology of the internal workings of Government. Asked that was surely at the heart of the issue, the PMOS said no, what was at the heart of this was what the Attorney actually said about the likelihood of a prosecution.
Asked if the BAe issue had been discussed in Cabinet at all over the last couple of months and were any Ministers consulted other than the Defence and Foreign Secretaries, the PMOS said it was not the practice to discuss investigations in Cabinet.
Asked if other countries would now think they could blackmail the United Kingdom, the PMOS said he did not recognise the reporters description and he reiterated that we recognise that the Attorney General talked about the unlikelihood of a successful prosecution and also the national security interest. Those are matters that are of national interest to the country. As the Prime Minister said, he makes no apology for making decisions based on the national interest.
Cyprus
Asked if the British Government would tell the Turks what they have to do in relation to Cyprus, the PMOS said we understand that Turkey does have obligations as part of its accession to the European Union, we understand that there are concerns about whether in some respects those obligations are being met and it is correct to assume that Cyprus is one of those obligations. In terms of what we need to do is find a way in which Turkey will meet these obligations and in the accession process can continue to move forward. Again he PMOS emphasised that what was also important was Turkey’s role in the wider Middle East.
Loans Inquiry
Asked if the loans issue came up in discussions with other leaders at the EU Council, the PMOS said he was not aware if it had and that there were probably issues there that were discussed along side broader issues such as the Middle East.
Asked if Lord Levy was in the Middle East on behalf of the Prime Minister at the moment or would be in the next week and if so what credibility does he still have there if any at all, the PMOS said that, as was already known, he did not brief on the activities of Lord Levy and in terms of his role as Middle East envoy the Prime Minister continues to believe that he does have an important role to play in terms of the Middle East.
Asked why Gulam Noon, Chai Patel, Barry Townsley and David Gower were nominated by the Prime Minister for peerages, the PMOS said that it was a Labour Party matter.
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