Madam, - Statoil is pleased with developments last week which saw the five Co Mayo men jailed for contempt of court released from prison. It is our hope that a meaningful dialogue can now be pursued to resolve this difficult situation.
As a point of clarity, media speculation that the Norwegian government approached Statoil to influence the situation in Mayo is incorrect. The Norwegian government does not interfere with the day-to-day running of Statoil and therefore did not have any bearing on this outcome.
Similarly, the recent meeting between Statoil and members of the men's families and their representatives was useful in enhancing our understanding of the core issues but did not directly lead to the welcome developments of last week.
The lifting of the injunction followed a discussion, led by the operator Shell, among the partner companies in the Corrib project.
We in Statoil will continue to work actively with the Corrib partners to find a solution that all parties can accept. - Yours, etc,
KAI NIELSEN, Manager Public Affairs, Statoil, Stavanger, Norway.