A statement of clarification

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My father founded ourcompany, Cotecna Inspection SA, exactly 30 years ago.

Since then, Cotecna has become a world leader in assuring governments of the integrity, effectiveness and efficiency of the systems they use to facilitate trade through their borders and ports. We have helped them enhance revenue through the collection of customs duties while improving their inspection, administrative and information-technology systems. Today, we have more than 4,000 employees in 150 offices in 100 countries. They include highly skilled economists, engineers, information-technologyand telecommunicationsexperts, inspectors and trade and customs experts.

We have succeeded because we have worked hard, used innovative technology for pre-shipment inspection, developed destination inspection and trained local customs administrations to help them reach self-sufficiency. And we are demonstrating the same abilities to support government efforts to enhance port and supply chain security at a time of global terrorism.

All that may surprise people who, because of recent reporting, identify us uniquely with the United Nations oil-for-foodprogramthat brought humanitarian aid to Iraqis at a time when the country was under trade sanctions.

The controversy surrounding the management of that program has put us center stage in the world's media. We have learned much over the past months about how difficult it is for a company to obtain fair and objective coverage in a supercharged political context. We have felt the collateral damage firsthand in our commercial dealings worldwide because of the presentation of facts, which often has been selective, incomplete and out of context, while confidentiality constraints with respect to the United Nations and the various investigation committees limited our ability to fully rebut damaging allegations and insinuations. Selective leaks have compromised the integrity of the various ongoing investigations and distracted investigators' valuable resources of time and money.

Yet, for all of this, we do not despair that the facts will speak for themselves, and that, when the investigations are concluded, they will show that our performance of the limited and technical role we played in the program was professional and in accordance with the law and our contractual obligations.

For that reason, we will continue to cooperate fully, as we have from day one, with investigations by Congress and the U.N. Independent Inquiry Committee. And we intend to continue to attempt to set the record straight. We will provide the public with the facts through the various investigations and by responding at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner to misleading and unfair reporting.

What is the reality behind the questions being raised about Cotecna? A few basic questions and answers can help make that clear.