Downing Street Says

The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) started by highlighting the Prime Minister’s statement and the words he recorded whilst at the Royal Marsden Hospital, regarding Gillian Gibbons’ release. The PMS read out the Prime Minister’s statement;

‘I was delighted and relieved to hear the news that Gillian Gibbons is to be freed. Common sense has prevailed. She will be released into the care of our embassy in Khartoum after what must have been a difficult ordeal.

Through the course of Ms Gibbons’ detention I was glad to see Muslim support groups across the UK express strong support for her case.

I applaud the particular efforts of Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi in securing her freedom. I am also grateful to our officials for all their work behind the scenes.’

The PMS also told journalists that the Prime Minister had spoken to Ms Gibbons’ family again that morning.

Asked if there were any details of the logistics concerning Gillian Gibbons’ return, the PMS replied, no, not at this stage but obviously we were focused on getting her back to the UK safely.

Asked if the Prime Minister was expected to meet with Ms Gibbons following her return to the UK, the PMS said that that would be kept under review.

Asked what the Prime Minister had said to Ms Gibbon’s family this morning, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had expressed his delight and relief that Ms Gibbons was to be released and informed the family of the work that had been going on behind the scenes in order to secure her release.

Asked if there had been any contact between the Prime Minister and his counterpart in Sudan, the PMS replied no.

Asked if the Foreign Office was going to change its advice to visitors to Sudan given this case, it was made clear to journalists that the travel advice was changed after the accusations were first made.

Put that advice should reflect the on going situation rather than an individual case, the PMS said that the Foreign Office advice reflected all manner of things to make sure that the British public got the best advice possible.

Asked if this case would in any way affect the Prime Minister’s position regarding Darfur, the PMS said no; this was an isolated consular incident and the position on Darfur remained the same. There were ongoing processes in both the EU and the UN in terms of bringing about resolution and peace to that area and we remained committed to that.

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» Monday, December 3, 2007

Sudan

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