Letter: Megrahi minuted

YOUR editorial ("Megrahi affair leaves all parties tarnished", 9 February), states that the Scottish Government does not have a note of a "crucial conversation" between Scottish and UK ministers about the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA) negotiated by London and Tripoli.

But the Scottish Government has already published its minute of the conversation between Kenny MacAskill and Jack Straw of 8 November, 2007 - the one discussion in this period where the PTA, Andrew Somerville and firearms were discussed before the UK government arrived at its misunderstanding recorded on 7 December - and it reflects the consistency of the Scottish Government's position. As the minute records, these issues were discussed separately and appropriately.

In any event, this is irrelevant to the issue of Megrahi's release, because what was being discussed in 2007 was the technical terms of the prisoner transfer agreement so that prisoner transfer could be rejected.

The exchanges were about the Scottish Government's demand for a specific exclusion of Megrahi from the PTA, and the UK government's offer of a Scottish veto after it reversed on its commitment to secure such an exclusion.

As the UK government's minute of the conversation between Jack Straw and Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2007 states: "JS (Jack Straw] explained that the Libyans understand that they will not get al-Megrahi back to Libya."

We sent eight letters to the UK government calling for a specific exclusion of Megrahi from the PTA, and were still doing so as late as September 2008.

It is the then UK government's policy that changed - in secret. The record shows that the Scottish Government's position did not change.

Kevin Pringle

Senior Special Adviser

Scottish Government

Edinburgh

I AM asked by SNP-list candidate Alex Orr to provide a "shred of evidence'' on the SNP-Megrahi release allegations (Letters, 10 February). May I refer him to John McTernan's article in The Scotsman on 8 February; or to the Page 5 report in The Scotsman (10 February): "SNP talked of deal for Megrahi'', quoting Jack Straw.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh

SIR Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, concluded that Gordon Brown's Labour administration assisted the Libyan regime in securing the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi.

I think we should be informed if Iain Gray or any other Labour MSP were consulted on the matter.

Donald J MacLeod

Bridge of Don

Aberdeen