British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has told Premier Ewart Brown that the UK's belief that the Guantánamo Bay Uighurs should not have been brought to Bermuda remains unchanged.

Mr. Miliband could visit the Island for further talks as part of a whirlwind trip in honour of Bermuda's 400th anniversary.

"The Foreign Secretary is likely to accompany Her Majesty the Queen on her visit to Bermuda in November and I conveyed to him the strong desire of the Government that he meet with key stakeholders in our economy while in Bermuda and I think he understands the importance of this," Dr. Brown said.

The pair met face-to-face this week for talks in England, according to a press release issued by Dr. Brown's press secretary Glenn Jones yesterday, which said they discussed issues pertinent to Bermuda.

"The Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK Government's position with respect to the innocent Uighurs formerly detained at Guantánamo Bay and the means by which they came to Bermuda," said the press release.

"The Premier expects to receive the UK Government's formal position in writing soon."

The Premier brought former terror suspects Khalil Mamut, Abilikim Turahun, Abdullah Abdulqadir and Salahidin Abdulahat to the Island on June 11 from the notorious US detention camp without the approval of Britain or his Cabinet.

Governor Sir Richard Gozney and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said afterwards he had no authority to do so, as the matter involved external affairs and was outside the remit of the Bermuda Government.

The UK and US remain in talks about the future of the men, who were twice cleared of being enemy combatants by US authorities. Bermuda Police Service has labelled them a "moderate threat" with no specific concerns. Deputy Governor Mark Capes told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "On the presence in Bermuda of the four Uighurs and the way in which they were brought here we have made our position clear and have nothing to add at this point."

The Uighurs have been given permits enabling them to work as groundsmen at Port Royal Golf Course and are said to be settling well into life on the Island after more than seven years at Guantánamo. Attorney General Kim Wilson said in July she believed the men could legally live here indefinitely but were unlikely to ever gain Bermudian status.

The Justice Minister added that the men could not travel outside of Bermuda, as they don't possess passports. Government Senator Walton Brown said last week that the completion of the Police security review should clear the way for the men to receive travel documents. But Mr. Capes said yesterday: "It is our view that the four Uighurs are not entitled to travel documents of any description."