CIA prisons on German minister's agenda for Condoleezza Rice

New German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today and is expected to bring up reports that the CIA set up secret jails in some European nations.

Steinmeier has declined to comment on media speculation that prisoners were tortured in the &to=http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/366/16486_iraq.html' target=_blank>secret prisons allegedly set up by the CIA in eastern Europe.

He discussed the topic during the first day of his visit in the United States in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Steinmeier is also scheduled to meet Rice’s top deputy, Robert Zoellick, and national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, reports Ireland Online.

Mr Steinmeier said &to=http://english.pravda.ru/main/18/88/354/16315_Condoleezza.html' target=_blank>Ms Rice understood that the public and politicians in Europe are concerned about the issue.

German media says the CIA have been using German airports to move suspects.