Fed: Vaile, Downer statements to be handed to Cole inquiry

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2006
Fed: Vaile, Downer statements to be handed to Cole inquiry

CANBERRA, April 5 AAP - Two senior federal government ministers will hand personal
statements to the AWB kickbacks inquiry today, paving the way for them being called as
witnesses.

The head of the inquiry, retired judge Terence Cole, gave Foreign Minister Alexander
Downer and Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile until today to provide their sworn statements.

Mr Downer said yesterday his statement was still "being worked on", while a spokesman
for Mr Vaile said the deputy prime minister's was ready to go.

Both ministers have previously said they would be happy to appear at the inquiry.

Lawyers for the inquiry revealed last week they had asked the ministers for statements
outlining what they knew about claims wheat exporter AWB paid nearly $300 million in kickbacks
to Saddam Hussein's regime.

Once the statements are received, the inquiry's legal team and lawyers for AWB and
its executives will study them before deciding whether to call Mr Downer or Mr Vaile to
the witness box.

They could be called as early as next week.

AAP shh/evt/sd

KEYWORD: AWB FEDERAL DAYLEAD

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