Solana ontkent kennis over CIA-gevangenkampen in Europa (en) - Main contents

EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana i has denied any knowledge of the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners in the "war on terror."

"I have no information whatsoever that tells me with certainty that any of the accusations, allegations, rumours_are true", Mr Solana said, when quizzed by members of a European Parliament temporary committee on Tuesday (2 May).

The Washington Post reported last year that the CIA had run secret rendition flights and secret prisons in eastern Europe.

A European Parliament committee investigating the matter suggested last month in an interim report that the CIA has conducted more than 1,000 undeclared flights over European territory since 2001, and that EU governments knew about it.

But MEPs did not get anywhere with Mr Solana, leading to some criticism of Mr Solana for "washing his hands of responsibility."

"I don't have the competence_to ask the countries how they have handled these questions and they don't have the obligation to answer me," he said.

"I can only do what the treaty allows me to do. You may want to change the treaty now, but then in another case, another day, you will criticise me for overstepping my mandate."

The stance drew criticism from some of the most active members of the committee, with UK liberal Sarah Ludford remarking:

"You say you do not have the legal competence, but surely you have the political competence as the EU high representative. This paints a pathetic picture of the EU."

Mr Solana did confirm that secret detention centres would be illegal in theory however.

"If these exist or have existed in Europe or elsewhere, they would violate international human rights and humanitarian law," he stated.

"Our stance against torture and other cruel treatment is clear. It is always wrong and illegal. There are no ifs or buts," Mr Solana went on.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also rejected knowledge of CIA operations in Europe.

He told the parliament's foreign affairs committee that he has no information on alleged CIA flights or alleged extraordinary renditions and that he does not intend to appear before the temporary committee on CIA flights.