KHOODEELAAR! updating on the evidence of the DEEP involvement of Crossrail hole scam -peddling 'Govt' post holders and BiG Business [245]

KHOODEELAAR! updating on the evidence of the DEEP involvement of Crossrail hole scam -peddling 'Govt' post holders and BiG Business [245]


See the item as published by REUTERS today


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Mandelson clarifies Russian meetings
Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:34am BST Email | Print | Share | Single Page | Recommend (0) [-] Text [+]

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LONDON (Reuters) - Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson confirmed on Saturday that he had met a Russian billionaire at the centre of a recent political storm earlier than previously thought.

In a letter to the Times newspaper, Mandelson said he had first met Russia's wealthiest man Oleg Deripaska in 2004, two years earlier than was previously disclosed.

The media has been awash with stories in recent weeks about meetings senior British politicians had with Deripaska, especially those that took place on board the billionaire's yacht in Corfu this summer.

Mandelson, who made a surprise return to the government this month, has been criticised for having links to the Russian aluminium businessman while he was European Union Trade Commissioner.

Commentators said it raised questions about a possible conflict of interest.

In his letter, Mandelson again rejected accusations that he had intervened on Deripaska's behalf in decisions over EU aluminium tariffs. But he said details about their meetings needed clarification.

"During the weekend when I moved from Brussels to London and prior to me being admitted to hospital for an urgent medical procedure, a statement was released to the press which said I had had meetings with Mr Deripaska in 2006 and 2007," he wrote.

"Some people formed the reasonable view, therefore, that my first meeting with him was in 2006. This is not the case: To the best of my recollection we first met in 2004 and I met him several times subsequently."

The controversy surrounding the Corfu meetings has shifted from Mandelson to Conservative Shadow Chancellor George Osborne in the last few days after it was revealed he had also been a guest on board Deripaska's yacht. Continued...

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