Shell chief's statement was irresponsibleBy Henrik Rasmussen
Published: May 22 2006 03:00 | Last updated: May 22 2006 03:00
From Mr Henrik Rasmussen.
Sir, Shell executive Jeroen van der Veer recently stated that oil companies have to accept increasingly nationalistic policies of countries such as Venezuela and Bolivia as a fact of life (“Energy landscape redesigned”, May 15). He went on to say that legal action to protect the property rights of oil companies is “counterproductive . . . good luck!”
This public declaration is irresponsible in the extreme. Populist leaders such as Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan president, and Evo Morales, Bolivian president, will likely interpret the Shell executive's statement as encouragement to further harass international investors with outdated socialist policies that were discredited decades ago. The result will be lower economic growth and increased poverty in the developing world.
Multinational corporations have become increasingly powerful and important with the advent of globalisation. These companies have lifted millions out of poverty by investing and creating jobs in developing countries, so their new position in the global hierarchy is well-deserved.
With power, however, comes responsibility. In the 21st century, the corporate world will need true statesmen at the helm to carefully preserve the delicate open market system that is the very foundation of globalisation.
Mr van der Veer may think he has bought “peace in our time” for Shell by accommodating Mr Chavez and Mr Morales, but he would do well to remember that history can be a hard judge of the statesmanship of appeasers.
Henrik Rasmussen,
President, World Growth,
Warrenton, Virginia 20186, US
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
