“This is a sad and unfortunate matter for both Hydro and StatoilHydro,” says Hydro board chairman Terje Vareberg.

“But this is not an issue between individuals in the two companies. The matter is now in the hands of the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) and the US authorities, and it is up to them to give further consideration to it,” says Vareberg.

The chairmen state that it is not in the interests of Hydro nor StatoilHydro that the companies contribute to an escalation of the matter, and stress the importance of it being dealt with in the appropriate manner.