US 'to study secret CIA flights'The US will investigate reports that European airports were used to move terror suspects to secret CIA-run jails, Germany's foreign minister says. Frank-Walker Steinmeier said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had assured him during talks in Washington that the claims would be clarified. Mr Steinmeier said Ms Rice understood that the public and politicians in Europe are concerned about the issue. German media says the CIA have been using German airports to move suspects. Last week, the European Union said it would formally ask the US to check reports that it operated secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe. 'Re-assured' Mr Steinmeier, recently appointed foreign minister in a government headed by new Chancellor Angela Merkel, said his talks with Ms Rice had been "friendly and good". He said he was glad that the allegations about secret CIA jails and flights had been discussed in depth. "I believe it was right that we chose not to ignore it in these talks," he said. "And I am especially happy that it was understood that worries about the issue do exist, both in the European public and in the parliament, and that the only way to treat it is an investigation." "We were re-assured that this will happen," he said. Mr Steinmeier is also expected to meet Ms Rice top deputy, Robert Zoellick, and US National Security Adviser, Stephen Hadley. Awkward allegations German media has claimed that the country's airports were used more than 80 times by CIA planes transporting terror suspects to allegedly covert jails. BBC Berlin correspondent Tristana Moore says the allegations come at an awkward time for the government of Chancellor Merkel. She has pledged to strengthen trans-Atlantic relations which hit an all-time low when her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, attacked the US-led war in Iraq. Earlier during his two-day visit, the German minister met United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. He said he had discussed UN reform with Mr Annan and Germany's wish for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. "The proposal remains on the table," he added. "Reform of the Security Council stays on the agenda." Last modified November 30, 2005 |