By Michael Peel, Legal Correspondent
Published: February 7 2007 02:00 | Last updated: February 7 2007 02:00
The handling of the scrapped probe into alleged bribery by BAE Systems in Saudi Arabia has “damaged the reputation of Britain”, according to Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, chairman of Anglo American, the mining group.
In a letter to Vincent Cable, the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader, Sir Mark, who has advised Number 10 on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, claims the efforts of many companies to build transparent relationships overseas will be “set back and affected by suspicion and cynicism”.
The letter – first obtained by Channel 4 News – comes amid government concerns over criticisms by leading investors of December’s controversial decision to drop the BAE investigation.
Sir Mark’s comments were among responses to a series of letters written to top British companies by the Lib Dems, who plan to attack the government’s behaviour on the Saudi case in a parliamentary debate today.
Sir Mark, a former chairman of Royal Dutch/Shell, the oil company, and a private sector adviser to the government’s Commission for Africa, says the best approach to the Saudi case is to “concentrate on ensuring that current and future relationships are transparent and in line with best practice”.
His comments come after Hermes, Britain’s biggest pension fund, said the scrapping of the case threatened the country’s reputation as a leading financial centre.
Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, said last month he was “really anxious” for British companies to understand that neither BAE nor any other business was above the law.
The Serious Fraud Office had been investigating allegations of slush funds and other unethical practices surrounding the 20-year-old Al Yamamah arms agreement with Riyadh, which last year signed a supplementary deal potentially worth as much as £40bn to BAE.
BAE is still being investigated over deals in South Africa, Tanzania, Chile Romania and the Czech Republic. The company denies any wrongdoing.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
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.
