GRAPE VINE

Premier Oil Welcomes Human Rights Initiative

Financial Times (London):
Letters to the Editor:
January 2, 2001, Tuesday London Edition 1

From Mr Charles Jamieson

Sir, In your article "Oil groups back rules to guard human rights" (December 21) the only reference to Premier Oil may have left readers with the impression that the company chose not to sign the collaborative agreement between the UK and US governments and several leading US and British-based oil companies.

First, I would like to make it plain that we welcome this initiative to promote and protect human rights. Also, we did in fact try to participate in this agreement with specific reference to our operations in Indonesia. Our operations in Burma were not included as part of the initial discussions because of US sanctions and UK/EU restrictive measures. We were denied participation because the group did not want any new companies to sign up at this time and there was, according to one government official, discomfort because of Premier's operations in Burma.

This latter point seems somewhat discriminatory as Premier has operations in several countries where such an agreement could be appropriate. However, this has not stopped us demonstrating our open- ended commitment to human rights where we operate. To show compliance with the International Labour Organisation's recent resolutions vis a vis Burma, we have now secured the co-operation of the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue to monitor human rights and related issues in the area of southern Burma through which our pipeline passes.

We of course also stand ready to participate in this UK/US government- led initiative.

Charles Jamieson,
Chief Executive, Premier Oil,
23 Lower Belgrave Street,
London