Downing Street Says » 2006 » December

» Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Police Inquiry

Asked if the police had been round, the PMOS replied no.

Briefing took place at 12:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Baker-Hamilton Report

Asked about the Prime Minister's position on an international conference, the PMOS replied that this could be taken forward in many different ways and formats but what was important at this stage was to go back to the region and assess what had gone right and what hadn't. Then we would make our judgement. Formats and ways forward should fit with where we are in reality, conferences are not held just for the sake of holding conferences. They are only held to help move something forward.

Briefing took place at 12:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Russia

Asked about Ming Campbell's comments that HMA Moscow was being followed around as part of a process of intimidation, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had said this morning that the EU leaders made clear their concerns at the EU Summit in Finland, so there was an on going concern at some aspects of Russian conduct but that he wouldn't comment on an individual

Briefing took place at 12:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iraq

Asked why Des Browne answered questions in the House on Iraq instead of Ian McCartney, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that the person chosen to answer the questions was Des Browne. He added that Margaret Beckett was in Penzance today and therefore unavailable.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

London Stock Exchange

Asked why the Government had hardened its position on Iran, the PMOS said this was not a fair assessment and pointed the journalist to what the Prime Minister had said shortly after Hampton Court regarding President Ahmadinejad's remarks and had said many times since. These showed that the Prime Minister had always adopted a very strong position on Iran. In terms of the press conference, the Prime Minister was reflecting his genuine disgust at a conference specifically organised to deny an event in which the world knows millions of Jews were killed, and that they had stooped so low as to invite a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Middle East

Asked if the Prime Minister had been thinking of any countries in particular when he said that one of the things that had improved in the Middle East in the past 3 years was the spread of democracy, the PMOS replied that in some of the Gulf States the vote had been opened up to women for the first time. He added that in Iraq there had been elections for the first time on three occasions, in which millions of people participated. On the basis that it is good that people are able to vote for their government, then this was an advance.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (3)

Terrorism

Asked about John Reid's comments that he wanted a politically led counter-terrorism department taking in foreign affairs and home affairs, the PMOS said the review had come to No10, the proposals would be studied and then we would make a decision.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Original PMOS briefings are © Crown Copyright. Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Click-use licence number C02W0004089. Material is reproduced from the original 10 Downing Street source, but may not be the most up-to-date version of the briefings, which might be revised at the original source. Users should check with the original source in case of revisions. Comments are © Copyright contributors. Everything else is © Copyright Downing Street Says.