Why foreign correspondents are alarmed and dismayed at plans to sell the Observer

‘We are saddened at the manner in which decisions were taken over the sale of the Observer.’ Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

With regard to Ole Jacob Sunde’s article (We want what’s best for the Observer – and the Guardian. That’s why the deal with Tortoise makes sense, 7 December), we are current and former contributors to the international pages of the Observer and the Guardian, and we want to register our alarm and dismay at the planned sale of the Observer to Tortoise, as well as at the manner in which discussions over the sale have been communicated.

In late September, some of us wrote to Mr Sunde privately to express our concerns, and he responded that the board would take them into account.