http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200610/f1772536-3bde-4ec8-b06d-9165ebdfbf60. htm Criticism of terror talks 'secrecy' Key European home affairs ministers gathered for talks in Stratford-upon-Avon have been warned not to impose their agenda on the rest of the EU. Home secretary John Reid is hosting two days of talks with his counterparts from France, Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. Discussions are expected to focus on new anti-terrorism measures and ways of tackling illegal immigration. As the talks got underway, there was criticism of the "complete lack of transparency and accountability" around the 'G6' meetings. In July the House of Lords EU committee called for the results of G6 meetings to be "fully publicised by the Home Office". "A written ministerial statement should be made to parliament. The papers should be sent to this committee, and to the Commons European scrutiny committee and home affairs committee," added the MPs. And Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Ludford said: "This complete lack of transparency and accountability of the G6 leads to suspicion that it is an undemocratic way of prescribing solutions on sensitive issues like immigration and terrorism. "While it can certainly be helpful for ministers of a few countries to discuss policy informally, the danger is that their conclusions get imposed as law for the EU as a whole without proper scrutiny." However a Home Office spokesman said no decisions would be made, adding that the G6 was just a "forum for frank discussion on home affairs matters". "The discussions will mostly centre around terrorism but other home affairs issues will be looked at," he said. "It will focus particularly on how the next terrorism attack can be pre-empted and challenging radical extremist ideas. "Germany has been looking at making the internet a more hostile environment for terrorism and its supporters. The group allows us to exchange ideas like that." But Baroness Ludford said that while EU decision-making could be "complex and cumbersome", holding meetings "in quiet corners" is not the answer. "The secrecy of this UK-hosted meeting is also a slap in the face of the Westminster parliament," she added. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
