Mulroney completes panel appearance

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OTTAWA, May 21 (UPI) -- Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said Wednesday he was treated well during his six days of questioning in the Karlheinz Schreiber probe.

Justice Jeffrey Oliphant told Mulroney he wanted to be assured the former prime minister did not feel he had been abused "despite probing questions that may have been asked," the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. Mulroney replied that he had been treated "very fairly and with great respect."

"The probing questions I thought were appropriate and didn't either bother me or offend me in any way," Mulroney said. "So the answer to the question is very much in the affirmative. And I thank you sir for your kindness."

Mulroney was questioned regarding three cash payments he received from Schreiber between 1993 and 1994. Schreiber contends he paid Mulroney $300,000 to lobby domestically on behalf of Thyssen Industries, a German company seeking to build a plant in Nova Scotia and sell military vehicles to the Canadian government.

Mulroney maintains he was paid $225,000 to promote the vehicles internationally only.

The former prime minister said he has done nothing wrong, though he regrets his involvement and acknowledged he had tried to hide his business relationship with Schreiber.

Questions also have arisen about the amount and timing of taxes Mulroney paid on the money he received. He didn't pay taxes until 1999 and then only on half the amount he received, the CBC said.