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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Michel Distel
[mailto:micheldistel@micheldistel.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> 10 June 2005
17:08<BR><B>To:</B> moderator@cpprot.net<BR><B>Subject:</B>
<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Dear Sir,</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">You seem to have taken the piece published
under Bernhard Warner’s by-line in the issue of Time Magazine Europe dated May 9
at face value. This article is unfortunately an instance of sloppy and one-sided
journalism.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">It would appear that Mr. Warner has accepted
as fact a list of unfounded allegations that have no bearing on the true
situation and never checked his sources. As a result the article misrepresents
the true status of the art referred to and the legal rights of the Albizzini
foundation.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">A number of the statements found in this
article are false and defamatory. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN
lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The art owned by the late Minsa Craig Burri
has by no means<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>“disappeared”.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">It has not been “smuggled” out from France
but legally exported by the Executors of the Estate representing its legitimate
owner, Minsa Craig Burri’s sole heir, her brother, after all the custom filings
had been effected. It has furthermore been inspected by the curators of the
Centre Georges Pompidou who have selected one piece fit to be accepted by the
French Treasury in lieu of estate duties. This very piece was reproduced in the
Time article.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">It has not been “stolen” but transferred to
the US by the Executors on behalf of the owner.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The foundation has no standing to claim any
part of the estate of Minsa Craig Burri. Soon after the death of Alberto Burri,
Minsa Craig Burri realized that the foundation created by her late husband had
betrayed the Maestro’s wishes and was under the control of schemers whose sole
intent was to live off the great legacy of Burri by selling art from the
foundation to fund the budget of an institution that has, by its own admission,
less than 10 visitors a day, but continues to pay fees and salaries to various
members of the Sartenanesi family. The mishandling of the assets entrusted to
the foundation by the late Alberto Burri<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>has warranted the intervention of the Italian government in the
foundation’s affairs. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">From the very day of Burri death the
foundation has attempted to dispossess his widow of her rightful share of his
estate. She never had any wish to bequeath any part of her estate to the
foundation ; on the contrary, until her demise, she bitterly fought the
foundation and its claim to be the Maestro sole heir to have her own rights
vindicated. The litigation in the Italian courts has been resumed by the estate
of Minsa Craig Burri and remains pending ; it has not been finally decided upon.
</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The foundation is now trying, in the same
manner, to dispossess her heir and has initiated a number of frivolous lawsuits
in France where Minsa Craig Burri had been a resident for the last fifteen years
of her life and where she died. French law applies to the devolution of her
estate and a French court of appeals has very recently decided that the
foundation has no legal existence in France, and as a result has no capacity to
claim to be her heir.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The statement that the foundation has “kept
quiet” for fear of hurting ticket sales, virtually non-existent due to abysmal
management, is ludicrous. Mr. Sarteanesi, who seems to be the sole source for
this piece of “reporting” knows full well that the foundation has no right
whatsoever to the property of the estate of Minsa Craig Burri reported as
“stolen”. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Yours faithfully</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><![if !supportEmptyParas]><![endif]> </SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Michel Distel</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=black><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Avocat au Barreau de
Paris</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Counsel to the estate of Minsa Craig
Burri</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><SPAN class=StyleCourrierlectronique16><FONT
face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>