2008 Woodie Awards
Iranian Ambassador called to foreign office
Associated Press
Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: Local, State & World
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LONDON (AP) _ Britain's Foreign Office summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday as diplomats pressed Tehran for the release of 15 sailors and marines accused of illegally entering Iranian waters.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, on an official visit to Turkey, called on Iran to allow access to the captives.
``We're pressing the Iranian government at variety of levels to give us details of where our personnel are being held so that we can have consular access to check for ourselves that they are in good health,'' Beckett said.
At the Foreign Office in London, undersecretary Lord Triesman spent about 45 minutes talking with Rasoul Movahedian, the Iranian ambassador to Britain. During their third meeting since the crisis began, Lord Triesman again demanded the safe return of the 15, and reiterated the British stance that the sailors and marines were operating in Iraqi waters, a Foreign Office spokesman said anonymously, in line with government policy.
Quoting an unnamed Iranian source, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported the sailors and marines were being held at a military base in Tehran. The Foreign Office said that Britain does not know where its service personnel were detained.
The detention of the Britons appeared likely to worsen relations with Iran at a time when Tehran is at odds with the West over its nuclear program and is accused of interfering with the Iraq war.
But Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said Monday that the seizure of naval personnel would be treated as a distinct issue. ``This is a matter that should be dealt with on its own merits,'' he said.
Iranian officials said the crew were being interrogated and Tehran has rejected British requests to visit them, warning that the personnel could face charges for allegedly entering Iranian waters. A claim both Downing Street and the Foreign Office has repeatedly rejected.
Blair's spokesman declined to confirm whether Britain had provided authorities with satellite positioning coordinates of the sailors' positions, which would verify Britain's claim. He said only that discreet and private negotiations were taking place.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, on an official visit to Turkey, called on Iran to allow access to the captives.
``We're pressing the Iranian government at variety of levels to give us details of where our personnel are being held so that we can have consular access to check for ourselves that they are in good health,'' Beckett said.
At the Foreign Office in London, undersecretary Lord Triesman spent about 45 minutes talking with Rasoul Movahedian, the Iranian ambassador to Britain. During their third meeting since the crisis began, Lord Triesman again demanded the safe return of the 15, and reiterated the British stance that the sailors and marines were operating in Iraqi waters, a Foreign Office spokesman said anonymously, in line with government policy.
Quoting an unnamed Iranian source, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported the sailors and marines were being held at a military base in Tehran. The Foreign Office said that Britain does not know where its service personnel were detained.
The detention of the Britons appeared likely to worsen relations with Iran at a time when Tehran is at odds with the West over its nuclear program and is accused of interfering with the Iraq war.
But Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said Monday that the seizure of naval personnel would be treated as a distinct issue. ``This is a matter that should be dealt with on its own merits,'' he said.
Iranian officials said the crew were being interrogated and Tehran has rejected British requests to visit them, warning that the personnel could face charges for allegedly entering Iranian waters. A claim both Downing Street and the Foreign Office has repeatedly rejected.
Blair's spokesman declined to confirm whether Britain had provided authorities with satellite positioning coordinates of the sailors' positions, which would verify Britain's claim. He said only that discreet and private negotiations were taking place.
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