I'm ok from a pr and govt affairs standpoint, but we can't move forward until 
we have legal (including FCPA) approval.  I have exchanged voicemails with 
Elizabeth Labonowski on this and she is on it.  If you have consulted local 
counsel on the issue you should put that person in touch with Elizabeth.
Once we have the approvals we can proceed on verbal OKs and document later 
(as we have in other cases).

This issue has come up before in Europe.  The first time through is the  
hardest and slowest.  After we have run all the traps once, the subsequent 
requests move faster.  But we have to get it right.  Even in Europe, where 
our contributions were small and routine, we attracted a bunch of attention 
just because of who we are (as in Japan Enron attracts alot of attention in 
Europe -- even where other American companies don't).



	Nicholas O'Day
	12/04/2000 07:12 PM
		 
		 To: Steven J Kean/NA/Enron@Enron
		 cc: Joseph P Hirl/AP/ENRON@ENRON
		 Subject: Urgent - political function

Steve, the purpose of this note is to get your sign off on attending a 
cocktail function to be held by a senior Japanese political figure this 
evening. Timing for approval is at issue.

We have been invited by Mr Kamei a senior political figure in the LDP to 
attend a cocktail party this evening. The price is Y20,000 (about $190) per 
head and we were proposing to send two people. My rough estimate is that half 
of each ticket would go to the LDP ie a total of $190. We have been 
developing a good relationship with the LDP through Kamei and most recently, 
he assisted us in arranging a meeting for Ken Lay with the MITI minister. 
Accordingly the purpose of attending is to maintain good relations with the 
Japanese Government with a view assisting to further Enron Japan's business 
interests in Japan. It would be viewed negatively if we were not to attend.  

We have external legal counsel sign-off that this type of function is legal 
in Japan. The function also has the support of Joe Hirl. I am aware that 
there is a procedure for political donations, however, given the number of 
Enron hands that the application needs to pass through, we will not have 
approval in time for this evening. Hence this note.

Through the course of today, I will seek to get the application approved 
through Mark Schroeder and John Sherriff and on its way to  Elizabeth 
Labanowski and then to you. As mentioned, Elizabeth is unlikely to get the 
application until after the function this evening. In the meantime, I would 
be grateful if you read this email this evening if I could have your 
preliminary OK.

kind regards