Robert Gaymer-Jones has issued an official statement with regards to allegations that the company's New York hotel tried to cover up the details of the recent sexual assault of one of their housekeeping staff by IMF Chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Statement of Robert Gaymer-Jones, CEO of Sofitel Worldwide:

"Sofitel's management reaffirms that its first priority is to ensure the safety of its guests and staff. Managers are at the disposal of the US authorities to aid in determining exactly what took place at the Sofitel New York last Saturday.

The claim by a member of the French parliament that the New York Sofitel's management covered up repeated acts of sexual aggression is completely untrue and slanderous.

To protect both guests and staff, Sofitel New York has implemented strict procedures and a whistle-blower hotline to allow employees to report any specific situations. These procedures have been in place for more than a year. Management is not aware of any previous cases of attempted sexual aggression."