19 July 1999

Mrs Catherine Mackenzie,
HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY DEPARTMENT,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
London SW IA 2AH.

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your letter of 13th July, in reply to mine of 19th June.

I raised two questions with the Foreign Secretary. The first was to enquire whether the Government continues to endorse the 11,500,000 quantum of damages awarded- against me in 1989, which it unsuccessfully sought to uphold in 1995 at the European Court of Human Rights. Your response is that 'English law had already been changed, before the introduction of your application, to enable the Court of Appeal to reduce jury awards. So the issue will not arise again'.

This being the case, is it possible to learn why the Government, acting on the advice of the Foreign Office, spent public money vigorously seeking to retain a damages award which you accept had become incompatible with English law? You emphasize that 'the issue will not arise again'. Does this mean that mine was regarded as a unique case, where the Government hoped to sustain an award condemned by the Court of Human Rights as a violation of Article 10 of the Convention on Human Rights, guaranteeing 'everyone ... the right to freedom of expression'? How is it that the British Government has come to be so deeply involved in what was purportedly a civil action between two private individuals?

On the much more important question of the present British Government's belatedly undertaking appropriate atonement and compensation for war crimes perpetrated by British forces in Austria in 1945, you respond with a flat refusal. This cynical attitude is unparalleled, so far as I am aware, by the government of any other belligerent country in World War 11.

Your justification for the present Government's callous disregard for human rights is so inadequate as to suggest patent lack of sincerity.

'You also raise allegations of crimes committed by British soldiers in Austria against Russian soldiers and civilians. We are not aware of any evidence to support such allegations'.

Letters Table of Contents

Previous Page

Next Page

Nikolai's Home Page