Mr Gibson said the new information came from a businessman with a military background in South East Asia who the family met through a charity set up in Eddie's name.

BBC: Eddie Gibson

Kazakhstan's choice of China to develop its second biggest field may also augur ill for others Europeans, Russians and Turks who seek stakes in Central Asia's energy reserves.

ECONOMIST: Central Asia

Mervyn Davies, who had been chairman of Standard Chartered, HSBC's rival in Asia, had a similar job under the previous government.

ECONOMIST: HSBC's top team