Because of the significance of the information that we did not audit, we are unable to, and do not, express an opinion on the accompanying financial statements and schedule taken as a whole.
The bank simply certifies the accuracy and the completeness of the information submitted to the auditor and the auditor includes it in his financial report with the following gargantuan caveat: Because of the significance of the information that we did not audit, we are unable to, and do not, express an opinion on the accompanying financial statements and schedule taken as a whole (emphasis added).
Subsequently, at the June summit meeting in Washington and in the face of relentless pressure from Gorbachev Mr. Bush decided to sign the U.S.-Soviet Trade Agreement and nine accompanying side letters even though the Soviet Parliament had yet to schedule final action on the emigration legislation.