So the co-president, Mr Lagardere says,
"If we had been dishonest, we would have sold all our stock. I have the choice of appearing dishonest or incompetent, a man unaware of what is happening in his own factories. I plead the latter..."He appears to be incompetent in producing airplanes, but also incompetent in his dishonesty.
...but also incompetent in his dishonesty. It's a French thing, given the relationship of the press and government officials, or in this case, a friend of a
government official.