TNAG-2769-FCO40-3986-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1994 — Page 140

KI

RK K SYNC businessmen

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PARK L-SYNC businessmen???

Scott Enq. WT11

Q: What do you give them in return for the risks they take for you?

I think that is an entirely individual thing; with some people it may be money, with others a little bit of help, a little bit of influence, a little bit of knowledge.

For instance, if you knew that a British company was coming out to try and get, say, the order for helicopters in a particular country, and you knew from other sources that, let's say the Italians and the French, were both bidding, you would certainly tell your, the man you wanted to help that so that he was forearmed and knew that he had competition.

But the complex relatonship between MI6 and business is one of the coentral issues of the current Scott Enquiry which is investigating the role of government ministers in the sale of militray equipment to Iraq. One of the embarrassments for M16 concerns its relationship to businessmen who acted as agents, but, after allegedly breaking the law on government guidelines preventing certian exports, were arrested, charged but subsequently freed. MI6 did not seem to stand by its friends in their hour of need.

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