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DE RUEHLO #1777 1851128
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R 031128Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9111
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

S E C R E T LONDON 001777 

NOFORN 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER UK
SUBJECT: FOREIGN SECRETARY MILIBAND SUBMITS RENDITION 
STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT 

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard LeBaron for 
reasons 1.4 (b,d) 

¶1. (S/NF) Foreign Office Director for Defence and Strategic 
Threats Simon Manley informed Poloff July 2 that the Foreign 
Office would submit Foreign Secretary Miliband's written 
statement on rendition to Parliament July 2, for entry into 
Parliamentary records July 3. Manley said the statement (see 
Para 2) had been cleared by "State and (GPRO)." There are no 
plans for an oral statement, but questions from MP's are 
likely over the next week and the statement will likely 
attract considerable press attention as well as skepticism 
from NGOs and op-ed writers. 

FS Miliband's Written Statement on Rendition 
-------------------------------------------- 

¶2. (U) Begin Statement: Terrorist Suspects (Rendition) 

On 21 February I made a statement to the House regarding new 
information we had been passed by the US Government regarding 
rendition. Contrary to earlier assurances that Diego Garcia 
had not been used for rendition flights, US investigations 
had revealed two occasions, both in 2002, when this had in 
fact occurred. Since February, I have corresponded with 
Secretary Rice on this issue and our officials have continued 
to work through the details and implications of the new 
information. 

I promised the House that, as part of this of this (sic) 
process, my officials would compile a list of flights where 
we had been alerted to concern about rendition through the UK 
or our Overseas Territories. The list which they have 
compiled, containing 391 flights, reflects concerns put to us 
by hon. Members, members of the public, multilateral 
organisations and non-governmental organisations. Inclusion 
on this list does not represent an official endorsement of 
any allegations about a particular flight. On the contrary, 
US government flights as with other government flights occur 
regularly for a variety of purposes. Our intention was to 
collate in one place those concerns that had been put to us 
directly. The list was passed to the US on 15 May. I 
undertook in February to publish the list and have today 
placed a copy in the library of the House and published it on 
the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk). 

The United States Government received the list of flights 
from the UK Government. The United States Government 
confirmed that, with the exception of two cases related to 
Diego Garcia in 2002, there have been no other instances in 
which US intelligence flights landed in the United Kingdom, 
its Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a 
detainee on board since September 11, 2001. 

Our US allies are agreed on the need to seek our permission 
for any future renditions through UK territory. Secretary 
Rice has underlined to me the firm US understanding that 
there will be no rendition through the UK, our Overseas 
Territories and Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board 
since September 11, 2001. 

Our US Allies are agreed on the need to seek our permission 
for any future renditions through UK territory. Secretary 
Rice has underlined to me the firm US understanding that 
there will be no rendition through the UK, our Overseas 
Territories and Crown Dependencies or Airspace without first 
receiving our express permission. We have made clear that we 
would only grant such permission if we were satisfied that 
the rendition would accord with UK law and our international 
obligations. The circumstances of any such request would be 
carefully examined on a case-by-case basis. 

Our intelligence and counter-terrorism relationship with the 
US is vital to the national security of the United Kingdom. 
There must and will continue to be the strongest possible 
intelligence and counter-terrorism relationship between our 
two countries, consistent with UK law and our international 
obligations. (End Text) 


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