EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LONDON September 1,2009 M r. W . George Burgess Deputy Director Criminal Justice Directorate S t. Andrew's House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG Dear M r . Burgess: Your letter of 26 August 2009 requests permission from th e United States Government to publish representations made to the Scottish Executive by the United States Government related to Mr. Abdel Basset al-Megrahi's separate applications for transfer under the UK- Libya Prisoner Transfer Agreement and for compassionate release. Consistent with it s standard a n d long-standing practice o f holding in confidence government-to-government communications, so as to facilitate the abili ty of the United States to have frank and open communications with other governments, th e United States Government is not prepared to authorize th e release a t this time of the details or contents of its diplomatic exchanges in this matter. In accordance w ith this understanding, the United States Government does not grant perm ission for these documents to be published. T h e United States Government's consistent a n d long-standing view that M r. Megrahi should serve out his prison sentence in Scotland a n d th e opposition of the United States to his transfer to Libya is a matter of public record. We note that this position, as reflected in public remarks made b y Secretary Clinton in the days before Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill made and announced th e decision to grant M r. Megrahi compassionate release, is consistent
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8/8/2019 US Scotland Letter 2009 RE Megrahi Release
Your letter of 26 August 2009 requests perm ission from th e United
States Governmen t to publish representations made to the Scottish
Executive by the U nited States Government related to Mr. Abdel
Basset al-Megrahi 's separate applications for transfer un der the U K-
Libya Prison er Tran sfer Agreem ent and for compassionate release.Consistent with its standard and long-standing practice of holding in
confidence government-to-government communications, so as to
facilitate the a bili ty of the United States to have frank and opencomm unications w ith other governments, th e United StatesGovernment is not prepared to authorize th e release at this tim e of thedetails or contents of its diploma tic excha nges in this matter. Inaccordance w ith this understanding, the U nited States Government
does not grant perm ission for these documen ts to be pu bli sh ed .
The U nite d States Government's consistent and long-standing v iew
that M r. Megrahi shou ld serve out his prison sentence in Scotland and
th e opposition of the U nited States to his tran sfer to L ibya is a matterof public record. W e note that this position, as reflected in pub lic
remarks mad e by Secretary Clinton in the days be fore S cottish
Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny M acA skil l mad e and an nouncedthe decision to grant M r. M egrahi compassionate release, is consistent
8/8/2019 US Scotland Letter 2009 RE Megrahi Release
with the views communicated by the United States in its government-to-government communications on the issue an d is further reiteratedin th e publ ic statements of various senior U.S. officials fol lowing the
Scottish decision to authorize M r. Megrahi 's release and transfer.
Richard LeBaronDeputy Chief of Mission
8/8/2019 US Scotland Letter 2009 RE Megrahi Release