Residents of Bermuda will be kept in the dark over a meeting between Premier Alex Scott and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lord David Triesman, as a planned press release has been scuppered.

reported yesterday that Mr. Scott was set to give details of the discussion ? believed to have focused on a ?unique solution? to the Independence issue ? when he returned to Bermuda. It emerged yesterday evening that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has refused Mr. Scott?s press secretary, Beverle Lottimore, permission to release a statement she had drafted.

?I sent the press release to the FCO for the reason that we don?t speak for them. If there?s going to be a release, they need to give approval for it or issue a joint release. They said they did not want one,? explained Ms Lottimore when asked to comment on the issue. ?They indicated that as this was a private meeting, the minister would not want to be quoted in a press release.?

She refused to release any information about what had happened at the meeting with Lord Triesman on Thursday, and said she did not want to comment on whether or not she was disappointed by the decision of the FCO.