The BBC…made what it presented as a tactical climbdown in its libel battle with the oil trading company Trafigura. After negotiations with Trafigura director Eric de Turckheim…, the broadcaster agreed to apologise for a Newsnight programme, pay £25,000 to charity, and withdraw any allegation that Trafigura's toxic waste dumped in Africa had caused deaths. But at the same time, the BBC issued a combative statement, pointing out that the dumping of Trafigura's hazardous waste had led to the…oil trader being forced to pay out £30m in compensation to victims. De Turckheim issued his own statement…, repeating the contentious claim that "The slops were... dumped illegally by an independent company called Compagnie Tommy – a deplorable action which Trafigura did not and could not have foreseen."