I WRITE in response to Tony Kevin's reference to me in his letter (CT, September 28). Let me be categoric: no agency represented in this embassy, nor any official of this embassy, had any part in the sinking of the vessel known as SIEV X.

Nor has any official of the embassy engaged in any activity to disable or attempt to disable any vessel on which potential illegal immigrants were embarked.

Those who would wish to find a conspiracy to explain the tragedy of SIEV X should look not to Australian officials but to the people-smugglers who organised the vessel's departure and profited from it.