It is reprehensible that the minister for foreign affairs Anders Samuelsen (LA) has allowed researchers to quote from the Foreign Tribunals without Parliamentary approval.
But exactly how critical it is – and thus how big a nose, the minister must have his iniquity – determine the Danish Parliament the first Tuesday in next week.
It shall notify the Danish people’s party, Søren Espersen and the Socialists Nick Hækkerup after an open consultation in the Danish parliament’s Foreign affairs committee on Friday, where Samuelsen regretted the course of events.
– the Minister was rarely humble and very appreciative of the fact that there is a mistake made, says Nick Haekkerup.
– going Forward, there must be a new procedure, where the Parliament gets the hand – and halsret of the information we hold.
the Case is about a review of the Danish participation in the wars in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. It is published 5. February and is conducted by researchers Rasmus Mariager and Anders Wivel, University of Copenhagen.
They got the permission of the Ministry of foreign affairs to quote from the records of the meetings of the Foreign affairs policy Board, which normally is shrouded in confidentiality.
But the Parliamentary Bureau informed of the permit, and the chairman Pia Kjærsgaard (DF) argued that it was in order to quote from the tribunal.
At the time, however, it was impossible for Samuelsen to stop the investigation, he explained during the consultation. The examination process must be independent.
– It is the work of the scientists. So the whole of the Danish Parliament instructed me to stop it, so I could not make it, said Samuelsen.
Søren Espersen said after the consultation that he has had no desire to slow down the investigation.
– It is quite fair that when you give a mission to, for example, Copenhagen University, so they have free hands. One should not be able to stop an investigation, because, come, does not work particularly attractive. So, it must not be.
– the Minister was completely clear in that there are errors committed, which should not have happened. The most important thing is that we are forward-looking can be sure, who decides finally about the quotes for the kind of studies, he says.
In 1996, the Danish parliament’s then president, an agreement with the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Danish Parliament, which must give permission, if that should be cited from the meetings of the Foreign policy Board.
But Anders Samuelsen explained at the conciliation, that under the changing ministers have developed a habit of giving permission to quote without Parliamentary consent.
Among other things, a report on secret CIA-flights from 2012 and in the professor Bent Jensen’s survey of the cold war, published in 2014.
– It has not been the practice in the past, that you have obtained the consent, explained Samuelsen during the consultation.
the Discussion between the government and the Danish Parliament is about the records of a later date. Records, there are more than 30 years old, kept by the national archives, who take a stance for researchers ‘ access.
It was expected, that the committee on foreign affairs would give Replaced by a nose – his first as minister – but the Left requested time for reflection. Therefore, the decision is deferred.
