Sandline mercenaries - 17 May 99 


Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit

source - VIKKI@law.uts.edu.au  Sun May 16 22:57:18 1999

Postcourier - 17 May 99

Inquiry called for into Sandline settlement
                                                                      
THE Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrew Baing, yesterday reiterated
earlier calls by the Opposition for a full inquiry into the deal struck by
Prime Minister Skate and Dr Pirouz Hamidian-Rad two weeks ago to settle the
Sandline claims out-of-court.

Speaking after a revelation that a ``confidential clause'' had been inserted
in the contract to prevent publicity of the terms of the deal, Mr Baing
said.

``The insertion of a ``confidentiality clause'' smacks of suspicion,
non-transparency and is sinister.  The settlement deal must be revealed.''

Mr Baing said that there needed to be a public inquiry because Government
lawyers were not involved in setting the legality and property of the deals
for both the terms to be made public.

Mr Baing said:``The Sandline affair has been subjected to two Commissions of
inquiries with clear conclusions and recommendations as to what has to be
done by appropriate authorities.

``There was no `confidentialty clause' in the Sandline Contract.

Therefore the public is entitled to know why it is so this time.

``The people of Papua New Guinea must be told of the terms and which side
settled for what gains to withdrawn the on-going legal battle between the
State and Sandline,'' Mr Baing said.

Mr Baing also questioned the role and benefits gained by the sole
negotiator, Dr Hamidian-Rad.

He questioned what Dr Hamidian-Rad's status was to have secretly negotiated
the deal without State lawyers, and whether there was anything to gain from
the deal.
 
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