The UK defence secretary, Liam Fox, admits 'mistakes were made', the day before a report into recent revelations regarding the defence secretary's working relationship with a personal friend, Adam Werritty, is due to be delivered to the prime minister, David Cameron.
The televised statement was delivered the same day a video emerged showing Fox and Werritty in a meeting with Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Fox said,
"I accept that were mistakes were made and I should not have allowed the impression of wrong-doings to arise. And I am very sorry for that."
"However I don't believe that wrong-doings did occur. Nonetheless, the right thing is for the investigation by the cabinet secretary to run its course. And I will answer questions tomorrow in the House of Commons."
Fox added,
[It was] "a mistake to allow distinctions to be blurred between my professional responsibilities and my personal loyalties to a friend".
"Nevertheless, I do accept that given Mr Werritty's defence-related business interests, my frequent contacts with him may have given an impression of wrongdoing, and may also have given third parties the misleading impression that Mr Werritty was an official adviser rather than simply a friend,"
Responding to allegations that Werritty may have gained some commercial advantage by accompanying Fox to a meeting that took place in Dubai, Fox admitted, it was "wrong to meet with a commercial supplier without the presence of an official".
"I have apologised to the prime minister and agreed with my permanent secretary to put in place new procedures to ensure that this does not happen again," he added.
