Washington seeks to shift EU focus from 'secret jails'

The US sought yesterday to push ahead with its attempt to strengthen ties with Europe, in spite of the continuing furore over allegations that Washington has maintained secret prisons in the continent.

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The Council of Europe, a pan-European grouping, yesterday called for the co-operation of all its 46 member governments, in its own investigation into the affair. The European Commission has declared that hosting secret detention facilities would be incompatible with the obligations of EU membership. One senior US official has privately remarked that the issue of the treatment of terror suspects is the one he most hates addressing in public. The controversy also complicates the US's attempted rapprochement with the EU.

In spite of visits to Europe by President George W. Bush, three-quarters of Europeans polled in a survey by the German Marshall Fund of the US said relations with the US had stayed the same or become worse over the previous 12 months.

Mr Fried said the two sides of the Atlantic had to move beyond "analysing the US-European partnership as if it were a sick child", and focus instead on a common agenda such as Middle East reform and democratisation beyond Europe.

the issue of the treatment of terror suspects is the one he most hates addressing in public.

Poor man... Hint: actually treat terror suspects in accordance with the (US) law and you'll be fine...

analysing the US-European partnership as if it were a sick child

Another hint: it would not be analysed as such if it weren't. It's been bitten by a rapid dog.


In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes