beleive it or not its happening, page-17

In cases where the FIRB has no issues, approval is quick. We've been advised by MEO management at the AGM that they were not aware of an FIRB rejection on a farm-in. In addition the vast majority of off-shore exploration permits in Australia are held by foreign companies so there will be hundreds of precedents of US,Japanese, Chinese etc farm-ins.

To further illustrate the point I will refer you to an example. On 31 Maqrch 2008 AED executed an agreement with Sinopec to transfer 60% of AED's 100% interest in the then producing Puffin Oil permits in the Bonaparte basin for $600million. The FIRB approval was granted on or before 28 April 2008. The whole thing took less than 4 weeks to be approved, it involved more value than this deal and it was to a company controlled by the Chinese Govt. So, I can't see any problems or delays with MEO's deal.

ANZ