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UK Sailors-Iran Arrests Former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray Monday supported Iran's decision to arrest 15 UK marines in the Persian Gulf last week. "In international law the Iranian government were not out of order in detaining foreign military personnel in waters to which they have a legitimate claim," Murray said, who was also a previous head of Foreign Office's maritime section, carrying out negotiations on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. "For the Royal Navy, to be interdicting shipping within the twelve mile limit of territorial seas in a region they know full well is...

The Foreign Office is to open talks on slavery reparations with Caribbean officials demanding trillions of pounds from the UK, sources have claimed... David Lammy’s department is understood to be looking at April to meet members of the Reparations Commission of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), a political grouping of 15 states that has long demanded compensation from former colonial powers. According to Caribbean sources, the meeting has been planned as part of a Caricom delegation of officials and political leaders who will restate demands that Britain pay for its role in the slave trade.

Foreign Office makes apology to Pope after officials' mock memo about 'Benedict' brand condoms By Jonathan Petre and Nick Pisa Last updated at 2:15 AM on 25th April 2010 The Government has been plunged into a major diplomatic storm after Foreign Office officials circulated an offensive memo mocking the Pope's forthcoming visit to Britain. In the document, staff who were asked to propose ideas for the 'ideal' visit suggested Benedict XVI could launch a new range of 'Benedict' condoms or back a Miss Developing World beauty contest. Sources in Rome said the document also proposed that the Pope might sing...

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's Foreign Office is urging government officials to stop using the US term "war on terror" amid concerns it angers British Muslims and undermines government aims, a weekly newspaper said. The government wants to "avoid reinforcing and giving succour to the terrorists' narrative by using language that, taken out of context, could be counter-productive," a Foreign Office spokesman told The Observer. The Foreign Office has sent the same message to cabinet ministers as well as diplomats and other government representatives around the world, according to the report. "We tend to emphasize upholding shared values as a means...