America may learn from its auld alliance

While the notion of American senators "summoning" the minister of a foreign government shows contempt for international relations, the magnanimous offer from our First Minister to co-operate with the United States is to be welcomed (your report, 21 July).

Might I suggest that the Scottish Government invites the senators to hold a public hearing in Scotland to meet with our justice secretary?

A suitable venue would be the former Laigh Kirk in Paisley, where the Rev John Witherspoon was minister.

He subsequently became one of the founding fathers of the US, signed the Declaration of Independence and became president of Princeton University.

The senators may learn something about the values which motivated their forebears.

GRAEME McCORMICK

Arden

by Loch Lomond

David Cameron, in his press conference with President Barack Obama, said he had instructed civil servants to review all documentation relating to the Megrahi case.

Will this include the report of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Board, (SCCRB) whichconsidered that grounds existed for a second appeal? This appeal had already started but was subsequently abandoned at Mr Megrahi's request.

Is there any connection between the abandonment of the appeal and the decision to release him on compassionate grounds? If the appeal had continued to a conclusion is it possible that the court could have found that the original conviction was unsafe?

If that had happened might doubt have been cast on the way evidence was produced at the original trial in Camp Zeist? It seems to me that it will not be possible to have a clear picture of all the aspects of this case withoutincluding the report of the SCCRB.

ROGER SALVESON

Allan Court

Grangemouth

Occasionally I've taken you to task over your choice of terminology in reporting; sometimes a headline word is so diluted in following text as to be completely false. So I find it with talk of Kenny MacAskill being "summoned" to appear "before" an American congressional committee.

The US neither has, nor would claim to have, the right to issue anything more than an invitation to appear at such a hearing. If personal contact is necessary, proper protocol would be for their delegate to visit the Scottish Government.

Incidentally, you reinforce the idea of American supremacy in this matter by describing Mr MacAskill as "defiant" in his stance.

Whom exactly is he defying? He made a judgment which was clearly within the remit of his position as justice minister.

ROBERT DOW

Ormiston Road

Tranent, East Lothian