cc: Mr Atkinson, MED
(tamed) Mr Stone, HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
Done
2818
From:
R B Bone
Grateful for any contributions Date:
on
your
to this summary respective interests, it possible by 4pm 28 August so that it
can go in the box tomorrow.
PS
Kate foume
(x2683). 2/1/8.
CC:
P9 MB 162/3 (35
Ра
2. 1991
420/2
Economic Relations Dept
27 August 1991
PS/PUS
Mr Bayne
Mr Slater
Mr Burns, NAD
Mr Nixon, MED
Mr Paul, HKD
A
BCCI
Christopher Prentice's minute of 9 August to the PS/PUS
asked for summaries for the Secretary of State on events during
his absence on leave.
1.
2. The Embassy in Washington were informed on 1 August that
the US Federal Reserve were to be served with a subpoena from the House Banking Committee investigating BCCI. Among the
documents subpoenaed were some belonging to the Bank of England
which had been passed to the Fed on a confidential basis. On
the same day the Private Secretary to the Governor of the Bank
of England phoned Mr Meyer in the Embassy in Washington
requesting that action be taken to retrieve the documents
before the subpoena was served. Mr Ralph, Head of Chancery in
Washington and Mr Lockton, the Deputy Consul-General in New
York went to respective Fed offices and formally requested the
return of the Bank of England documents. The Governor also
phoned the PUS. On 5. August the PUS met with Ms Berry,
Economic Minister at the US Embassy and handed over a speaking note. Approaches were also made by the Chancellor to US
Treasury Secretary Brady on 5 August. and by Sir Robin Butler
309kboa
CONFIDENTIAL