Published in GuardianUnlimited on 9/11/07
http://www.guardian.co.uk/baefiles/story/0,,2208451,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=11
Anti-corruption campaigners today won permission to bring a high court challenge over the decision to end investigations into alleged corruption by BAE Systems in arms deals with Saudi Arabia.
Lawyers for the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and the Corner House argued that the UK government's decision to cut short an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was unlawful under the OECD's anti-bribery convention, which the UK signed in 1997.
Lord Justice Moses, sitting with Mr Justice Irwin, said "matters of concern and public importance" had been raised and the challenge "cries out for a hearing".
The £20bn-plus al-Yamamah contract with Saudi Arabia, which formed the focus of the legal challenge, was negotiated by the Thatcher government and involved the sale of Tornado jets made by BAE. Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia allegedly received a secret £1bn payment to facilitate the 1985 contract.
The government has denied any breach of the convention and declared that it took the decision to terminate the investigation on the grounds of "national security".
Tony Blair, the prime minister at the time the inquiry was halted, said that continuing the investigation would have jeopardised Saudi cooperation on counter-terrorism.
The campaigners' lawyers argued that the SFO decision failed to take into account the national security implications of not proceeding with the investigation.
They said that the government's willingness to turn a blind eye to corruption within Saudi Arabia had the potential to encourage more international resentment towards the UK.
Notwithstanding those arguments, the campaigners contend that Article 5 of the OECD's anti-bribery convention precludes the UK from taking into account the potential effect of an investigation or prosecution on another state - even where there was concern over its impact on national security.
The CAAT spokesman Symon Hill told Guardian Unlimited today's decision was brilliant "for everyone who cares about justice in Britain".
"It's great news for everyone thinking that BAE and the government should not be above the law that the rest of us have to follow," he said.
In September, the two countries announced a £4.4bn deal for the sale of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, also made by BAE, to the desert kingdom.
The same month, the UK government was accused of obstructing an American criminal investigation into the al-Yamamah contract by the US inquiry team.
Saturday, 10 November 2007
Friday, 9 November 2007
Liverpool Council Disinvests from BAE
Liverpool takes the lead in curbing arms trade investment
Oct 30 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post
AUTHORITIES across Merseyside are being encouraged to follow Liverpool’s lead in calling for the area’s largest pension fund to stop investing in arms companies.
Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley is to write to the leaders of Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, and Knowsley for support in stopping the Merseyside Superannuation Fund from investing in the arms trade.
It comes after Liverpool Council passed a resolution which stated that “investment in the arms trade is not compatible with good corporate, social and ethical governance”
It comes after the Daily Post revealed in the summer that the fund currently has £13.6m linked to investments with firms that are involved in aspects of armaments trade, including BAE, Boeing and Rolls-Royce.
The pension fund, administered by Wirral Council on behalf of all local authorities, manages an investment pot worth around £4bn.
Merseyside Stop the War Coalition, Mark Holt, who campaigned for the Council to adopt this policy, said: “People in Liverpool were appalled to discover that the Merseyside Pension Fund invests in arms companies such as BAE, Rolls-Royce and Boeing.
“Now Liverpool has given a lead to every other council in the country. Now we can hold our head up as next year’s Capital of Culture. We’ve shown that we’re also the Capital of Conscience.”
Campaign Against Arms Trade spokesman, Symon Hill, said: “We’re delighted that they have taken such a major step.
“It’s vital that other councils in Merseyside back this proposal and pull Merseyside Pension Fund out of arms companies.
A spokesman for Merseyside Pension Fund, said: “As a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, the Fund seeks to incorporate environmental, social and governance criteria in its investment processes and actively engages with investee companies.
“Consequently, it does not have a formal policy of excluding companies on ethical grounds.
“In the light of the motion, we will be discussing the issues with the Pensions Committee, whose ultimate decision it will be whether the Pension Fund adopts an ethical direction.”
davidbartlett
Oct 30 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post
AUTHORITIES across Merseyside are being encouraged to follow Liverpool’s lead in calling for the area’s largest pension fund to stop investing in arms companies.
Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley is to write to the leaders of Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, and Knowsley for support in stopping the Merseyside Superannuation Fund from investing in the arms trade.
It comes after Liverpool Council passed a resolution which stated that “investment in the arms trade is not compatible with good corporate, social and ethical governance”
It comes after the Daily Post revealed in the summer that the fund currently has £13.6m linked to investments with firms that are involved in aspects of armaments trade, including BAE, Boeing and Rolls-Royce.
The pension fund, administered by Wirral Council on behalf of all local authorities, manages an investment pot worth around £4bn.
Merseyside Stop the War Coalition, Mark Holt, who campaigned for the Council to adopt this policy, said: “People in Liverpool were appalled to discover that the Merseyside Pension Fund invests in arms companies such as BAE, Rolls-Royce and Boeing.
“Now Liverpool has given a lead to every other council in the country. Now we can hold our head up as next year’s Capital of Culture. We’ve shown that we’re also the Capital of Conscience.”
Campaign Against Arms Trade spokesman, Symon Hill, said: “We’re delighted that they have taken such a major step.
“It’s vital that other councils in Merseyside back this proposal and pull Merseyside Pension Fund out of arms companies.
A spokesman for Merseyside Pension Fund, said: “As a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, the Fund seeks to incorporate environmental, social and governance criteria in its investment processes and actively engages with investee companies.
“Consequently, it does not have a formal policy of excluding companies on ethical grounds.
“In the light of the motion, we will be discussing the issues with the Pensions Committee, whose ultimate decision it will be whether the Pension Fund adopts an ethical direction.”
davidbartlett
THE AGM vote was won
Students call for shares sale
EDINBURGH University is under increased pressure to sell £500,000 shares in Total after a student vote.
More than 400 students packed the George Square lecture theatre for the student association's annual general meeting.
They voted in favour of putting pressure on the university to stop investing in Total, which runs gas fields in Burma, where there have been government crackdowns on pro-democracy protests.
The university has already sold shares in Nestle, BAE and British and American Tobacco, following similar student-led campaigns.
Gordon Aikman, EUSA vice president, said: "Hopefully we will see some real change, not only here in Edinburgh but beyond."
EDINBURGH University is under increased pressure to sell £500,000 shares in Total after a student vote.
More than 400 students packed the George Square lecture theatre for the student association's annual general meeting.
They voted in favour of putting pressure on the university to stop investing in Total, which runs gas fields in Burma, where there have been government crackdowns on pro-democracy protests.
The university has already sold shares in Nestle, BAE and British and American Tobacco, following similar student-led campaigns.
Gordon Aikman, EUSA vice president, said: "Hopefully we will see some real change, not only here in Edinburgh but beyond."
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
BBC Website reports Edinburgh TOTAL campaign
Students criticise Burma oil link
Burma has recently witnessed civil unrest
Students have called on Edinburgh University to withdraw a £650,000 investment in Total over concerns about the oil giant's involvement in Burma.
The university owns 16,640 shares in Total, which account for less than half of one percent of its investment fund.
A successful vote at the student AGM will see pressure put on the university to end its involvement with the firm.
The university has insisted that all its investments were socially responsible.
French energy giant Total is one of the biggest investors in Burma.
A spokesman for the Student Green Party said they did not believe owning shares in Total was in line with the university's ethical investment policy.
The University of Edinburgh's investment committee and the university's fund managers strictly adhere to a socially responsible investment policy
Edinburgh University spokesman
Past student AGM meetings have persuaded the university to embrace Fairtrade, to remove Robert Mugabe's honorary degree and to disinvest from the arms company BAE Systems.
A university spokesman said: "The University of Edinburgh's investment committee and the university's fund managers strictly adhere to a socially responsible investment policy.
"The university has in place procedures to consider any matters that are raised and the university court's approach is one of engagement with companies on ethical issues through our fund managers' corporate governance unit."
Total is the world's fourth largest oil and gas firm.
In 2005, it agreed to pay compensation to Burmese villagers who claimed they were used as forced labour during the building of a major gas pipeline.
It denied it was aware that forced labour was directly or indirectly used in the project.
Burma has recently witnessed civil unrest
Students have called on Edinburgh University to withdraw a £650,000 investment in Total over concerns about the oil giant's involvement in Burma.
The university owns 16,640 shares in Total, which account for less than half of one percent of its investment fund.
A successful vote at the student AGM will see pressure put on the university to end its involvement with the firm.
The university has insisted that all its investments were socially responsible.
French energy giant Total is one of the biggest investors in Burma.
A spokesman for the Student Green Party said they did not believe owning shares in Total was in line with the university's ethical investment policy.
The University of Edinburgh's investment committee and the university's fund managers strictly adhere to a socially responsible investment policy
Edinburgh University spokesman
Past student AGM meetings have persuaded the university to embrace Fairtrade, to remove Robert Mugabe's honorary degree and to disinvest from the arms company BAE Systems.
A university spokesman said: "The University of Edinburgh's investment committee and the university's fund managers strictly adhere to a socially responsible investment policy.
"The university has in place procedures to consider any matters that are raised and the university court's approach is one of engagement with companies on ethical issues through our fund managers' corporate governance unit."
Total is the world's fourth largest oil and gas firm.
In 2005, it agreed to pay compensation to Burmese villagers who claimed they were used as forced labour during the building of a major gas pipeline.
It denied it was aware that forced labour was directly or indirectly used in the project.
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