U.K., Laos Reach Deal Over Pregnant Inmate

Britain says it has signed an agreement with Laos that might allow a pregnant woman jailed in the southeast Asian country to serve any future sentence in the U.K.

Britain's Foreign Office says it has received an assurance from Laotian Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith that Laos would consider turning Samantha Orobator over to British authorities to serve time in the U.K. if she is convicted of heroin possession.

However a Foreign Office spokeswoman said Thursday that the agreement still had to be ratified by Britain's Parliament before it took effect.

She said the final decision about whether to hand Orobator back to Britain would be up to Laotian authorities.

She spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government policy.