Mr Larry Goodman and Anglo-Irish Beef Processors International (AIBP) had not been aware that the Iraqi government had given an undertaking to pay up to £169 million owed to the Goodman companies following representations made by the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, in Baghdad last week, according to a statement issued yesterday.
"Our only knowledge of Mr Albert Reynolds and Senator Michael Lanigan's discussions with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Tariq Aziz, is from today's Irish Times," said the statement on behalf of Mr Goodman and AIBP.
It added that neither man had acted for the company. "Neither Mr Reynolds nor Senator Lanigan have ever acted for any of the Goodman companies, either as a consultant or in any other capacity. They did not discuss the Iraqi debt with us prior to this visit, nor did they contact us during it or subsequently.
"However, we welcome Mr Aziz's positive comments regarding this company, the beef it supplied during the 1980s and his commitment to repay the £169 million debt in full."
The statement went on to say that AIBP had not received any notification from the Iraqis regarding the discussions.
Mr Reynolds and Mr Lanigan, who is treasurer of the Parliamentary Association for Euro/Arab Co-operation, travelled to Baghdad at the invitation of the speaker of the Iraqi parliament and held a series of meetings with senior ministers. Payment of the long-standing debt would negate a claim of more than £80 million for compensation and damages lodged in the courts by AIBP against the Irish Government because of cancelled export credit facilities.