ENGLAND: INTERVIEW WITH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIER, HAROLD GILHAM, WHO TELLS OF HIS PART IN THE ALLEGED LOAN INVOLVING RICH ARABS AND DR. PHILIP CAIRNS, THE THEN FEDERAL TREASURER OF AUSTRALIA.

Record ID: 1059689

  • Title: ENGLAND: INTERVIEW WITH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIER, HAROLD GILHAM, WHO TELLS OF HIS PART IN THE ALLEGED LOAN INVOLVING RICH ARABS AND DR. PHILIP CAIRNS, THE THEN FEDERAL TREASURER OF AUSTRALIA.
  • Date: 2nd July 1975
  • Summary: 1. MV-HAROLD GILHAM 160 ft TRANSCRIPTS: GILHAM: I was approached by a group of very rich Arabs and asked if I knew anyone in the Australian Government, because they would like to give some money to the Government. They were aware that Dr. Cairns was going to the conference in Paris within a few days, and was it possible for me to arrange a meeting, If the Australian Government were interested in borrowing money. I contacted Mr. Eric sinart and asked him if he knew anyone that he could approach as to whether the Government would be interested in borrowing, He came back to me the next day and said, yes, they would be interested in setting up such a meeting and this could be done while the Minister was in Paris Subsequently, Dr. Philip Cairns telephoned me and made certain arrangements as to the time and place of this meeting to be decided later to meet the gentleman with the money. This was the only dicusssion which took place with Dr. Philip Cairns and a meeting was arranged between liaison officer and Dr. Cairns, and a meeting was set up to meet the funding gentleman the following Saturday, but Dr. Cairns was unable to attend this meeting and that was the end of the affairs. INTERVIEWER: This was all normal commercial movements the sort of thing you are used to handling? GILHAM: Oh, Yes, this is a normal thing, it's a normal thing for Government to borrow money and it's normal for them to go through these channels. INTERVIEWER: What's ??? normal perhaps, is that the Finance Minister, in this case, Mr. Philip Cairns, was allagdely to receive a commission on the loan, should the deal go through. How did that arrive? GILHAM: Well, it was mentioned to me in a telex sent to me by Mr.Eric Senart,and the impact on it wasn't so great on me at the time and a lot of these loans never get off the ground.Had it been fait accompli and I was telexed that I had ??? GILHAM:.......to pay so much money to a Minister or someone in the Government, ??? would query it. INTERVIEWER: Was a figure involved? GILHAM: A figure was involved, it was a percentage figure that the commission coming to use was to be split three ways, one to me,one to Philip Cairns and one part to Eric Sehart. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 16th July 1975 13:00
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  • Location: ENGLAND LONDON
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  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA20XAZPUINDKHWV9IW28XSO3GE
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  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
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