UK to assist West Indies in World Cup security arrangements

Bridgetown, Barbados, Apr 30 (UNI) Four-time World Cup hosts England will assist first-timers West Indies in ensuring that the ninth edition of the tournament next year goes off without any security lapse by providing the Caribbeans intelligence inputs from international agencies.

''The UK would facilitate intelligence links with south Asian and the other international intelligence agencies and would examine the possibility of providing operational support for disaster preparedness,'' British Foreign Minister Jack Straw told reporters here.

He said the British government would work closely with the organisers to make sure that security standards remain high during the tournament spread across nine countries. Mr Straw also revealed that UK would assist in the visa arrangements.

''The United Kingdom agreed to support the Caribbean Community in the roll-out of its common visa arrangements for the period of the CWC and to address urgently the question of assisting in the issuance of such visas in countries where the Caribbean Community is not represented,'' he said.

''We also discussed practical assistance with the inclusion of equipment for the betterment of the tournament, the Caribbean and cricket overall,'' he added.

The UK has hosted the World Cup four times -- including the inaugral edition in 1975 -- with the last time being the tournament in 1999, which was won by Australia.

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