Huge Commission Paid in Frigates Sale to Taiwan: French Bank OfficialA French bank official admitted on Thursday that a 2.5 billion franc (US$350 million) commission was paid to certain personalities in France and Taiwan in the sale of six Lafayette frigates to Taiwan in 1991.In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Joel Bucher, former assistant general director of the French bank Societe Generale in Taiwan, said that the French judicial authorities are not expected to investigate all the personalities involved in the frigate case in fear of revealing "shameful" facts. "There are many documents which they dare not open. I am afraid that they will not investigate in fear of finding serious abnormalities," Bucher said. He said that he knew that out of the 2.5 billion franc commission, 800 million francs (US$114 million) were paid to certain personalities in Taiwan while the rest were paid "elsewhere." Former foreign minister Roland Dumas and his former lover, Christine Jerviers-Joncour, were accused of receiving US$1.8 million of commission for helping realize the multibillion dollar deal with Taiwan. Dumas, Jerviers-Joncour and five former executives of the Elf-Aquitaine oil group are being tried by a court in Paris for abuse of public fund and corruption in the case and some other scandals. Former Number Two figure of Elf, Alfred Sirven, was arrested two weeks ago in the Philippines and he is now jailed in Paris waiting for his trial. |
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