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He's At It Again! Airmiles Andy Jets Off To Visit 'Torture' Leader O

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  • He's At It Again! Airmiles Andy Jets Off To Visit 'Torture' Leader O

    HE'S AT IT AGAIN! AIRMILES ANDY JETS OFF TO VISIT 'TORTURE' LEADER ON UNEXPLAINED MIDDLE EAST DETOUR
    By Rebecca English

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066987/Hes-Airmiles-Andy-jets-visit-torture-leader-unexplained-Middle-East-detour.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
    28th November 2011

    The Duke of York has courted controversy again by using a private jet
    to take him on a secret visit to Azerbaijan en route to an official
    tour of the Middle East.

    Despite stepping down from his controversial globe-trotting trade
    role, Andrew was on his fourth taxpayer-funded foreign trip in just
    eight weeks when he made the unexplained detour last week.

    His office has refused to discuss why he failed to arrive in Qatar
    until last Sunday, a full four days after he left the UK in his luxury
    executive plane.

    Links: The Duke with Azerbaijan's controversial President Aliyev on
    an earlier visit .

    But the Mail understands that the prince made a detour to the
    former Soviet state of Azerbaijan, where he has forged links with
    the country's controversial president through his former role as a
    UK trade and investment envoy.

    When he finally did make it to his destination he undertook five days
    of engagements before taking a further five days off in Abu Dhabi on
    holiday, where he is currently still sunning himself.

    More...Prince William co-pilots rescue helicopter after one dies and
    five are missing in Irish Sea boat disaster

    To deflect criticism, the Queen's second son says he will be picking up
    the bill for the jet himself and only charging the cost of a standard
    business class ticket to and from Doha to the British Government.

    But the disclosures will inevitably add to disquiet over the prince's
    role as a working royal, particularly his relationships with the
    leaders of dubious regimes, as Azerbaijan is considered to be one of
    the most corrupt countries in the world.

    Enlarge All expenses paid: Prince Andrew has been on more trips
    than last year since quitting as a UK trade envoy Andrew has visited
    its leader, President Ilham Aliyev - accused of torturing political
    opponents and election rigging - eight times in the last six years,
    with two of the trips described as 'entirely private'.

    During one stay he was reported to have visited a luxury spa owned
    by President Aliyev, which employs a blind Russian masseur described
    as having 'the best hands in the world'.

    The regularity of his visits has led media in Azerbaijan to speculate
    that he may have business links to the oil-rich state, including a golf
    resort on the Caspian Sea. However Buckingham Palace has denied this.

    Andrew is being accompanied on his trip by his assistant private
    secretary, Laura Hutchings, his Scotland Yard security detail and a
    male diplomat.

    He arrived in Qatar last Sunday. He is believed to have stayed at the
    five-star Four Seasons hotel, which boasts a private beach and marina,
    where a suite costs upwards of �600 a night.

    Over the next three and a half days he had a busy schedule of meetings
    to promote British business interests in the region.

    On Wednesday he flew to neighbouring Abu Dhabi for another day
    and a half of engagements. But instead of flying back to the UK on
    Thursday evening, he has stayed on in the country for up to five days
    as a guest of its royal family. A spokesman confirmed this, saying:
    'The Duke of York's official programme has ended. He is spending his
    time in Abu Dhabi privately.'

    Palatial: The Duke will spend five days in Abu Dhabi on holiday after
    his official engagements end Although the prince has stepped down as
    trade ambassador, he is still a senior working member of the Royal
    Family and his expenses on official duties are met by taxpayers. A
    business class flight to the UAE would cost around �3,000.

    A spokesman for the prince said the trips were all planned in advance
    of his decision to quit the trade role.

    The official refused, however, to discuss his alleged trip to
    Azerbaijan, saying he spent his time there 'privately' and adding:
    'There would have been no cost to the taxpayer.' On Abu Dhabi, the
    spokesman said: 'We would not discuss how he got there, except to
    say the taxpayer has funded the equivalent of a commercial fare.'




    From: A. Papazian
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