London: US President Barack Obama has voiced his disappointment directly to UK PM Gordon Brown over the release of the Lockerbie bomber, the White House says.
It says Mr Obama made his remarks in a telephone call to Mr Brown.
The decision to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was taken by the Scottish government, and the British government insists it did not intervene at all.
Earlier Brown and Obama spoke on the phone for 40 minutes on Thursday
and exchanged views on the contentious decision by Scotland`s
justice officials to free Abdel Baset al-Megrahi on
compassionate grounds.
"It did come up, and the prime minister made it clear
that it was a matter for the Scottish government," a spokesman
for Brown`s office said, while speaking on condition of
anonymity in line with policy. The spokesman declined to say
whether Obama or Brown had raised the matter, but said the
call between the two men was "warm and substantive."
"The two leaders concluded that the special relationship
was as strong as ever and that there continued to be good
cooperation across the full global agenda," the spokesman
said.
Al-Megrahi was released from a Scottish prison on Aug. 20
after doctors said he had terminal cancer. The decision was
made by Scotland`s government, not Brown - who has declined to
say whether he thought the release was justified.
Bureau Report
