daviko
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BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
After waiting almost seven months we have finally received a letter explaining British Government policy in relation to British Nationals who go missing in Nepal. This letter was written by Baroness Symons who is the Minister for State and was sent to Robert Jackson MP for Wantage. We have written on two occasions a personal letter to Baroness Symons but she has declined to answer both.
Although it is a two page letter it does contain a number of inaccuracies in relation to what the British Embassy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have supposed to have carried out on our behalf. It also steers clear of answering the important questions that we have been asking since Gareth went missing in March.
The only good point in the letter is that she has agreed to meet with us, which we are greatly looking forward to. Perhaps finally we might get some straight answers to the questions that we have been denied answers to all these months.
David Koch
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8/1/05, 8:06
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tan
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
This is good news and I hope the meeting brings more good news too.
For people who don't know who Baroness Symons is (myself included) here's her political biography in brief, from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's site: Baroness Symons
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9/1/05, 0:38
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daviko
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
Ed Vaizey, the Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Wantage has organised a meeting with Baroness Symons for the 21st February. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Lords in Parliament. This will be exactly a year to the day since Gareth arrived in Nepal.
We are hoping that this will be good day to meet with the Baroness and finally get some answers.
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10/1/05, 20:03
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mieke
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Noblesse oblige (re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES)
That's interesting news, David. Hopefully Baroness Mrs. Symons of Vernham Dean will manage to turn that 21st February - a memorable and special day anyhow - into a respectful occasion for Gill and you, when she represents your Government.
If you feel you could use even more inspiration to make your list of questions more complete, please let me know. After all there have been several interesting discussions on the internet ever since April last year about what could and should have been done by an Embassy situated in Nepal in view of tracing Gareth, right from the start in March. And you may consider to print this article as well for the Baroness:
PM 'feels' for tourist's family Source: BBC, last updated Monday, 10 January, 2005, 13:11 GMT
The article is especially remarkable because of this information,
quote:
The prime minister has expressed his sympathy for the family of a south Wales tourist missing in Thailand.
Kevin Barnett, 37, has not been in touch with his family since Christmas Day when he called home to Maesteg from the Thai resort of Khao Lak.
Tony Blair told the House of Commons that the family would be undergoing an "absolutely hellish time" at the moment. "We can all feel for them."
The case was highlighted by local MP Huw Irranca-Davies. © BBC
unquote
kind regards to all three of you,
mieke
(netherlands)
Last edited by mieke, 1/2/05, 21:45
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10/1/05, 23:19
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tan
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
David do you have any plans to start a 'polite' letter-writing campaign (or something similar) aimed directly at Baroness Symons in advance of your meeting so she is aware of the strength of feeling from around the world in support of your family? It may be something which would help to have a global impact on the meeting.
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13/1/05, 15:33
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daviko
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
Tan, I'll email you with some thoughts on this because as yet we do not want to make some of our plans public.
David.
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14/1/05, 8:20
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daviko
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
I have given the issue of letter/card writing much thought ever since it was mentioned on the LITH Site
There are a number of issues to consider in respect of what you want to achieve with this course of action. Publicity, information, awareness and even annoyance but I think constructive feedback for those departments that have failed to deliver might be a good idea.
We did intend to send cards (the details of which have not been released due to impact factors) around the date of when Gareth was last seen, but since then two major things have happened.
1. We are now speaking to Baroness Symons on the 21st February. This will be a year to the day since Gareth arrived in Nepal.
2. There is going to be a special feature in a national publication of a Mother’s perspective of a missing child on the 13th February which Gill has been asked to do.
The details of this will be released nearer the time on this site.
There will still be a release of cards with 500 being sent, these will be pre stamped and addressed but we are still deciding what these will contain and who they will be sent to.
So this is open invite to any one who wants to offer advice on this issue.
The Koch Family
Last edited by daviko, 14/1/05, 10:50
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14/1/05, 10:44
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tan
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
David thanks for the email and I hope you have received my reply since.
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15/1/05, 0:07
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mieke
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sending postcards, and more (re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES)
Just to let you know, David, that based on the information you provided last week I'm working on a reply re. suggestions about what can take place in the U.K., as well as in Nepal (with the new trekkers-season starting there).
You'll have my email & attachments in a few hours from now.
kind regards,
mieke
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17/1/05, 10:56
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mieke
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Re: BARONESS SYMONS REPLIES
Because it's only a few days still before the meeting with Baroness Symons, I really wonder how the postcard-action is going along?
I've tried to find information about it (such as in the Gloucestershire Echo f.e.), but to no avail. Yet I do hope that especially the Baroness received quite a lot of them meanwhile.
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17/2/05, 12:35
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