US official acknowledges EU pressure on secret CIA prisons
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-11-24 11:39

A top US official acknowledged mounting EU pressure for Washington to come clean about reports of secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe while stressing his country's right to protect itself against terrorists.

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Fried said he had discussed the matter with various European officials during talks in Berlin, Vienna, Madrid and Brussels last week, but he refused to elaborate.

"I don't want to attempt to characterize our discussions with allies on this," he told AFP. "The issue came up in a number of ways, in a number of places."

Fried also declined comment on the European Union's plan to formally ask Washington to clarify reports about the secret CIA prisons known as "black sites". He underlined, however, the US right to wage a battle against terrorism.

"We have a duty to protect our people and to do our best to protect others from terrorists," he said. "We are conducting this struggle in a manner consistent with our values and our international obligations and will continue to do that.

"It is challenging to deal with an enemy that knows no rules and whose purpose it is to kill as many people as possible."

His comments came as the Council of Europe Wednesday said it was opening a separate probe into reports that CIA planes had used European airports to transit suspected terrorists allegedly subjected to extra-judicial detention and torture

Photo taken in March 2004 of a plane suspected of being used by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) departing from Palma de Mallorca airport.[AFP/file]

Planes allegedly operated by the CIA have been spotted at airports in Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden as well as Morocco.

The issue has raised a furor in Europe where various governments are facing mounting public pressure to come up with answers.

Washington for its part has consistently refused to confirm or deny the reports about the use of European airports for covert CIA flights.

It is believed that the alleged flights and overseas secret prison facilities were operated by the United States in order to circumvent US laws protecting detainees, particularly restrictions on the use of torture.

According to the Washington Post, the CIA set up the secret prisons in eastern Europe, Afghanistan, Thailand and elsewhere in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Fried would not comment directly on that but said the dilemma facing the United States was how to effectively conduct its war on terror while sticking to its principles.

"This is a genuine problem," he said. "How to fight against terrorists and at the same time remain true to your values and your international obligations.

"And I have stated that we are doing so but the issue of how one does so is debated."