The British newspaper The Independent recalled on Tuesday, December 22, that the UK Home Office had published no details about the results of the previous year’s visit beyond saying that Theresa May and her Saudi counterpart, Mohammed bin Nayef Al Saud, had agreed on a memorandum of understanding concerning the “modernization of the Ministry of Interior” in Saudi Arabia.
Members of the Liberal Democrats recently asked the Home Office for more details under freedom-of-information provisions, bringing the secrecy to light.
Party leader Tim Farron said: “Deals with countries such as Saudi Arabia should not be hidden. It is time to shine a light into the dark corners of our relationship with Saudi Arabia.”
The ministry did not deny that the agreement covered more than had been announced, but it refused to publish it. In a statement quoted by The Independent, the Home Office said the memorandum “contains information about cooperation between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia in the field of security.” Publishing it, however, “would damage bilateral relations” between London and Riyadh and could adversely affect British national security.
The Independent noted that the disclosure of a “secret” element in the agreement came after British Justice Secretary Michael Gove announced the cancellation of a £5.9 million contract with Saudi Arabia to provide a prison training program.
The move caused a diplomatic dispute with the Saudi leadership, which even threatened to withdraw its ambassador from London. In an effort to reassure Riyadh, Prime Minister David Cameron sent a personal letter to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, delivered by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond during his visit to Saudi Arabia.
Arab or Muslim people may not know what goes on behind the scenes, while politicians govern as they wish. What will happen? We wait and see, hoping for the best, God willing.
Source: The Independent