Overseas Security

U.S. government officials working overseas are at risk from terrorist threats. Since 1968, 32 embassy officials have been attacked -- 23 fatally -- by terrorists outside the embassy. As the State Dept. continues to improve security at U.S. embassies, terrorist groups are likely to focus on softÓ targets -- such as homes, schools, & places of worship. This report determines: whether the State Dept. has a strategy for soft target protection; assesses State's efforts to protect U.S. officials & their families while traveling to & from work; assesses State's efforts overseas to improve security at schools attended by the children of U.S. officials; & describe issues related to protection at their residences. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.

This is the seventh report of the 2007-08 session from the Foreign Affairs Committee (HCP 147-I, ISBN 9780215521477) and focuses on the issue of Overseas Territories. Altogether 45 conclusions and recommendations are set out under the following headings, covering: constitutional relationships; governance; rule of law; human rights; environmental governance; contingent liabilities; sovereignty disputes. Specific recommendations include: that the Committee commends the Government's encouragement of Overseas Territories in reviewing their constitutions and setting out proposals for reform; that Gibraltar's presence on the UN list of non-self-governing territories is an anachronism; that territory governments should be given the opportunity to pass on their opinions of the candidates for Governor before appointments are made; that the FCO should ensure it takes Overseas Territories' interests into account in its relations with the EU; the Committee recommends that the FCO should strongly encourage all Overseas Territories to introduce freedom of information legislation; that the FCO must ensure that judicial decisions in Overseas Territories should not have any interference either from the Governor or the local government; that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender status should be made illegal in all Overseas Territories; the Committee believes the Government has been highly negligent in not carrying out a strategic assessment of Overseas Territories funding requirements for conservation and ecosystem managment; that Governors within Overseas Territories should use reserve powers to deal with irregularities, such as money laundering, in offshore financial services (for a related publication, see HCP 4, session 2007-08 NAO: Managing Risk in Overseas Territories). The Committee states that the Government has acted decisively in some Overseas Territories but in some other cases, has been too hands-off (eg. the corruption allegations on the Turks & Caicos Islands). Also that the choice of Governor for a Territory is crucial. Finally, the Committee deplores any retaliatory measures taken against indivduals who have assisted the Committee. For Volume II, Oral and Written Evidence, see (HCP 147-II, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215521507).