Howard letter draws PM into wheat scandal - National - smh.com.au

Howard letter draws PM into wheat scandal - National - smh.com.au: "anuary 30, 2006

John Howard wrote to the head of Australia's wheat exporter asking him to work closely with government officials on Iraq shortly before the executive went to Baghdad to negotiate an illicit payment to Saddam Hussein's regime, new evidence from the Cole inquiry shows.

The letter from the Prime Minister to AWB's Andrew Lindberg was released by the inquiry into the UN oil-for-food scandal yesterday, which is investigating $300 million in AWB kickbacks to the Iraqi regime. It also released scores of documents showing government officials were far more deeply involved in the exporter's deals with the regime than previously recognised.

Letters from Mr Howard and the Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, to AWB executives, as well as confidential AWB documents, will draw the Government into the widening scandal at the most senior levels."