Bribery scandal may never reach French court

Bahamas News.Net
Wednesday 6th August, 2008

A preliminary investigation into what has been called the biggest bribery scandal in French history is likely to be stopped.

Prosecutors say investigators have been denied permission to inspect numerous documents belonging to the French Ministry of Defence in an investigation into the 1991 sale of six French frigates to Taiwan.

The sale was reportedly accompanied by the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to former French ministers, diplomats and businessmen.

Because documents are not being released by the defence ministry, the most relevant evidence cannot be revealed.

Taiwan long ago began international proceedings to regain the bulk of the purchase price from the French government.

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