LONDON ? Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday he won't make any instant judgment on whether the country's top defense minister broke rules in his dealings with a close friend who worked in the defense industry.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox is alleged to have acted inappropriately in allowing his former housemate and best man Adam Werritty access to Britain's defense ministry buildings and to meetings.
Cameron said he would not rush to make any decisions over the case, as an inquiry being carried out by a senior civil servants into the issue is likely to continue into next week.
"I think it is very important in politics and in life to be scrupulously fair and Liam is an excellent defense secretary and he does a very good job," Cameron told Sky News television.
"He is answering these questions and allegations. I'm happy for them to be answered in the right way, in the right time," he said.
Cameron's office said that the leader had requested an interim report on the issue be delivered to him later Monday.
"Our objective here is to establish the facts and what we are going to do is establish the facts before we draw any conclusions," Cameron's spokesman Steve Field said.
Field said that Cameron had absolute confidence in Fox's ability as the minister responsible for Britain's military.
"He inherited a department which was in a real mess and he has made great strides in tackling that," Field said.
The most senior civil servant in the defense ministry was tasked by Fox himself to investigate the claims and will produce a report by Oct. 21. Field said Gus O'Donnell, the head of Britain's civil service, was also examining the case.
Under standards rules imposed on members of Britain's government, ministers are expected to make sure "that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests."
Fox, who spoke with Cameron by telephone on Sunday, has acknowledged his "professional responsibilities and personal loyalties" may have been blurred in this case.
"I do accept that given Mr. Werritty's defense-related business interests, my frequent contacts with him may have given an impression of wrongdoing," Fox said in a statement on Sunday.
Fox planned to make a further statement to lawmakers on the issue to the House of Commons later on Monday, and will also face questions on defense issues in a previously scheduled session.
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