Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Liberal Party) has voiced his approval of the U.S. treatment of the 144 al-Qaida prisoners at the U.S. Guantanamo military base on Cuba. 
	
	
 "The U.S. Government has announced that the United States will respect its international commitments," Fogh Rasmussen said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday [22 January]. 
	
	
 He points out that the United States has allowed the Red Cross to inspect conditions at the Guantanamo base. 
	
	
 Criticism From the Red Cross 
	
	
 He fails to mention, however, that on the international stage the Red Cross has subsequently criticized the U.S. treatment of prisoners. 
	
	
 EU foreign affairs spokesman Javier Solana, among others, has also criticized the United States for not recognizing the al-Qaida prisoners as prisoners of war as understood in the Geneva Convention. 
	
	
 The Swedish Government has also expressed concern about the prisoners' rights. 
	
	
 Fogh: They Must Be Given a Fair Trial 
	
	
 "The prisoners must be treated with respect for their integrity and religion, and they must be given a fair trial," Fogh Rasmussen says. 
	
	
 On Monday Liberal Party foreign affairs spokesman Troels Lund Poulsen said that the debate on prisoners' rights is "an intellectual discussion." 
	
	
 Per Stig Moller: Give Them Rights 
	
	
 Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller (Conservative People's Party) is urging the United States to guarantee the prisoners the status of prisoners of war and in consequence protection under the terms of the Geneva Convention. 
	
	
 "I expect the United States to satisfy the requirements of the international conventions," Per Stig Moller said at a press conference in Berlin on Monday. 
	
	
 " Social Democratic Party: Raise Denmark's Voice 
	
	
 The Social Democratic Party takes the view that the Danish Government should raise its voice against the United States. 
	
	
 "I do not have all the information, but there are some questionable aspects in the U.S. approach," political spokesman Mogens Lykketoft (Social Democratic Party) told Ritzau Bureau. 
	
	
 "Of course the United States has a point when it says that it can be difficult to decide who are terrorists and who are prisoners of war. We must focus on the treatment of them." 
	
	
 The Socialist People's Party is sending an "urgent call" to the government to deliver official criticism to the United States. 
	
	
 "It cannot be the duty of the Danish Government to applaud everything that the Americans do. Even though we support their action, we should criticize this form of treatment of prisoners," Socialist People's Party Chairman Holger K. Nielsen said. 
	
	
 He will now ask the foreign minister to give a written reply outlining the government's position on the issue. 
	
	
 Danish People's Party: Are They Danes? 
	
	
 The Danish People's Party sees no reason to criticize the United States. 
	
	
 "To begin with, I have great confidence that what the Americans are doing in relation to these prisoners is reasonable. I can imagine that the United States has had good reasons for transporting them to Cuba," foreign affairs spokesman Peter Skaarup (Danish People's Party) says. 
	
	
 As long as no Danes are involved, the Danish People's Party does not think that Denmark should interfere. 
	
	
 "This could of course become necessary if a Dane were involved. Otherwise it must be a matter between the United States and the countries which have citizens who are directly affected," Peter Skaarup said, alluding to the United Kingdom and Sweden.