Written question asked by Tam Dalyell (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 1 May 2001. It was answered by Brian Wilson (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 May 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Report by Dr Hans von Kochler on the Lockerbie trial at Camp Zeist.

Answer: Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the report by Dr. Hans Van Koechler on the Lockerbie trial at Camp Zeist. [158626] Mr. Wilson: The UN Secretary-General was tasked by the Security Council to appoint international observers to the Lockerbie trial. These observers, representing five organisations, were not UN observers and, as such, did not have the task of reporting to the Secretary-General. One of these observers, Dr. Hans Van Koechler, has written a report in a private capacity. We understand that Dr. Koechler has been complimentary about the professionalism shown in the way the trial was administered by the Scottish Court Service, the Scottish Prison Service and the police. However, Dr. Koechler appears to have misunderstood a number of aspects of criminal procedure and processes in this case.

Secondary information