Greenpeace activists boarding the BP platform

BP Drops Greenpeace Claim

In a statement, BP also said it intended to release the bank accounts of Greenpeace and its officials after receiving assurances that campaigners would no longer interfere with oil production.

The statement said: "We are satisfied with the outcome of our discussions with Greenpeace. These discussions and the continuance of the existing court orders should allow us to get on with developing Foinaven."

BP had threatened to sue Greenpeace for £1.4 million after activists chained themselves to the mobile rig.

Greenpeace warmly welcomed the announcement, but said it would continue its campaign against new oil exploration. Chris Rose, the organisation's deputy executive director, described BP's decision as a "comprehensive retreat".

"Public support has led BP to back down," he said. "They should be given some credit for listening but the only thanks due are those owed to our supporters.

"They should now stop oil exploration in the Atlantic. Greenpeace will continue to exercise its freedom to campaign against the oil industry's role in climate change and in particular the totally unjustifiable expansion of fossil fuels, at a time when the climate cannot sustain the use of existing reserves."

BP had won a court order telling Greenpeace to stop interfering with its offshore oil drilling. The Court of Session in Edinburgh granted an order against Greenpeace and several individually named campaigners, banning them from unlawfully disrupting the drilling.

BP wants to carry on oil exploration

The occupation of the BP oil rig ended at the weekend when police evicted the protestors.

Greenpeace has a history of confronting oil companies. In 1995 it forced Shell to shelve plans to dump the Brent Spar platform. Greenpeace mobilised public opinion by claiming that the platform contained high levels of toxic material, a claim it later admitted was exaggerated.

Greenpeace is due to take on the Government and 21 oil companies, including BP, at the High Court in London next month in attempt to have the oil exploration licences declared unlawful.

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