Posted on 10/21/2004 7:14:16 PM PDT by kddid
UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan acknowledged on Thursday that continuing probes into and discussion on the now defunct UN oil-for-food program in Iraq hurt the United Nations.
"There is no doubt that the constant campaign has, and the discussions have, hurt the UN. That is not something we would like," Annan said. "It has done damage, yes."
"And that's why we want to get to the bottom of it and clear it as quickly as possible," he added.
Annan met Paul Volcker, the former U.S. chairman of the Federal Reserve, whom he appointed to lead an independent commission probing the $67 billion program, set up in late 1996 to allow civilian goods into Iraq in an effort to ease the impact of UN sanctions.
Volcker and his team intend to release later on Thursday the full list of oil companies that dealt with Iraq until the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 as well as firms that sold Iraq goods. The amounts of each transaction will be listed, not as evidence of cheating, but "in the interest of transparency," one UN diplomat said.
According to a recent comprehensive report by Charles Duelfer for the CIA, Saddam Hussein's government earned $2 billion from kickbacks or surcharges, mainly on oil associated with the UN program after 1997.
His most profitable avenue to break sanctions since the early 1990s was from direct agreements with other governments, which amounted to about $7.5 billion, Duelfer said.
Much of this was possible because the oil-for-food program set up by the UN Security Council allowed Iraq to choose its own contractors. Saddam used this power to hand out oil vouchers that could be sold for cash to those who might help him get rid of the sanctions.
Annan said diplomatic immunity would be lifted against any UN official involved in illegal activity. Other UN diplomats said this would happen after Volcker completed his investigation. Among the many names on Iraq's list of those who received oil vouchers was Benon Sevan, a Cypriot national and head of the program, who has vigorously denied it.
Volcker has said previously he would not release "confidential, contractual or proprietary documentation in response to requests of individuals or officials of member states."
But Annan said, "We will not stand in the way of investigations" and hoped the Volcker commission would unearth any wrongdoing as soon as possible.
Yeah, it was the probe..the SCANDEL had absolutely NOTHING to do with it.
There is no doubt that the constant campaign has,
*******
right - dirty rotton campaign against the dirty rotton UN
Oh, too bad.
Needs to be more of an Annanal probe - that would more seriously hurt.
Continued probes into the widespread corruption occurring under ole Kofi's watch including his son's criminal activities is hurting the UN, huh? Well, Kofi, remove the obstacles and let the probes really see into your background. Bet there's a whole new story that bears investigating. Oh Kofi, you can resign.
Golly, that just breaks my little heart.
Yes, Kofi can resign and let the honest, selfless, extremely moral and highly-principled William Jefferson Clinton take over and straighten things out.
What a nightmare. He will do anything to hold as much power as is humanly possible.
"And that's why we want to get to the bottom of it and clear it as quickly as possible," he added. Yes indeed, let's hurry up and sweep this back under the rug where it belongs.....
Not if Pres Bush wins re-election, clintoon can kiss his dreams down the drain just like his 6 nominations before he left office for the Nobel prize went down the drain.
Exposing the corruption of sonovabitches within the UN who took advantage of their positions of power to make a pact with the devil, Hussein, the French, the Germans, the Russians and the Chineese, could be hazardous to the financial health of the low down rats involved.
It is time to evict the UN from this country and issue an ultimatem to the rest of this world, that if they support the UN, we don't support them.
Or the message could be sent in no uncertain terms, by simply cancelling all dues paid to the UN and removing all military support from that contemptable and corrupt organization.
If we must for ever stand alone against the evil, we can better afford it by not wasting our money on the UN.
the UN is useless. They're all corrupt, they think of no one but themselves, they help no one but themselves, and they ought to be off the U.S. soil.
There, I said it.
Actually, it's THE TRUTH that hurts the U.N. They've outlived their usefulness, and the United States taxpayers are stuck with most of the bill.
"They've [UN] outlived their usefulness"
agreed. initially the UN was put together so that the two superpowers would not annhilate the world. now that the world has but one superpower, the UN needs to rethink its mission, vision, strategy and goals. if not, i suggest that the UN be a group of non-superpowers.
There are so many reasons why the words "President Kerry" would be a world-wide disaster.
I hope and pray this does not happen.
I would think KKofi Anan is used to being probed by the French, the jihadists, et al ad nauseum.
accountability always hurts the scoundrel, you dirtbag.
You, me and millions of others would find a sKerry presidency total destruction to the US as a nation.
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