Swiss Authorities Agree To Release Kohl Evidence
The Swiss authorities announced
this week that they would be releasing documents relating to allegations of
money laundering, corruption, and fraud against former German Chancellor Helmut
Kohl to German investigators. The evidence relates to accusations that the French
oil company, Elf Aquitaine, paid approximately DM75 million (US$34 million)
in bribes to German officials and politicians in 1992. The bribes are thought
to have been paid as part of a deal to purchase Leuna, an East German oil refinery,
although there are several other deals under investigation. Elf Aquitaine - now part
of TotalFinaElf - seems to be a permanent fixture in the headlines at the moment; earlier this month it was announced that Swiss bank accounts containing
more than SFr800 million (US$445 million) had been frozen in connection with
an investigation into the company by the French authorities. The Social Democrat party
on Monday called for the documents to be submitted to an all-party parliamentary
committee investigating the 'slush fund' scandal involving Mr Kohl and several
other prominent Christian Democrats. Although the former Chancellor has denied
all wrongdoing, former senior Elf officials have admitted that the DM75 million
paid to the then government did include bribes. German investigators are
overjoyed at the news that the 60 files compiled by the Swiss authorities will
soon be winging their way to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe. Friedhelm
Julius Beucher, an SPD member of the investigative committee called the move
'a huge step' in the investigation. 'Finally we will have our hands on details
of the routes the money flowed, and of who received it,' he said. .
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