Posted on 04/01/2005 6:36:50 AM PST by hinterlander
"Hell no!" was Kofi Annan's bullish response when asked last week if he would resign over the oil-for-food scandal.
The UN secretary-general's office was in full spin mode following the release of the eagerly awaited Volcker Interim Report on questions of conflict of interest involving Annan, whose son Kojo was employed by the UN oil-for-food contractor Cotecna.
The report was immediately greeted with unconvincing and rather desperate shrieks of "exoneration" by the UN's senior leadership after Paul Volcker controversially found "no evidence that the selection of Cotecna in 1998 was subject to any affirmative or improper influence of the secretary-general in the bidding or selection process."
However, a closer reading of the report reveals serious failures of leadership at the United Nations, the destruction of thousands of critically important documents by the UN chief of staff, and previously undisclosed meetings between Kofi Annan and Cotecna executives, all of which make a mockery of UN claims of vindication.
It is hardly surprising that Volcker has struggled to find evidence of "improper influence" if a great deal of vital evidence has ended up in a shredder. Despite UN protestations, this latest report will add to a growing picture of mismanagement, incompetence, and unaccountability in a world body in deep crisis and in serious need of reform.
The most significant finding in the Volcker Report is undoubtedly the revelation that Kofi Annan's then-Chief of Staff Iqbal Riza authorized the shredding between April and December 2004 of thousands of UN documents--the entire UN Chef de Cabinet chronological files for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999, many of which related to the oil-for-food program.
Significantly, Kofi Annan announced the retirement of Riza on Jan. 15, 2005, exactly the same day that Riza notified the Volcker Committee that he had destroyed the documents.
Riza was chief of staff from 1997 to 2004, almost the entire period in which the oil-for- food program was in operation, and would undoubtedly possess an intricate knowledge of the UN's management of the program. He was a long-time colleague of Kofi Annan, and served as Annan's deputy in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations from 1993 to 1996.
The destruction of highly sensitive documents by Kofi Annan's chief aide is a massive obstruction of justice that demands major congressional investigation. It gives the impression of a huge cover-up at the very heart of the United Nations, and casts a dark cloud over the credibility of the UN secretary-general. It projects an image of impunity, arrogance and unaccountability on the part of the leadership of the United Nations. Riza, who like Benon Sevan is retained on the UN payroll on a salary of $1 a year, should be made available for interview to congressional investigators and should give testimony before Congress explaining his actions.
Major questions also remain regarding the secretary-general's meetings with a senior executive from Cotecna on three separate occasions, and his failure to initially disclose them to the Volcker Committee. In the interests of full transparency, the transcripts of Kofi Annan's interviews with the Independent Inquiry Committee should be released.
The failure of the secretary general to recognize and act upon the enormous conflict of interest regarding his son's involvement with Cotecna is an extremely serious matter that reflects poorly upon both his judgment and personal integrity.
In order to begin the process of restoring the reputation of the United Nations, Annan should step down. The fact that Annan remains in office despite this latest scandal involving his former chief of staff, and growing evidence of UN mismanagement with regard to the oil-for-food program, sets a poor precedent for future leaders of the UN, who will be encouraged to believe they will not be held to account for the organization's failures. Annan is increasingly a "lame duck" secretary-general who has become a severe liability to the effectiveness of the UN as a world body. Serious reform of the organization to make it more transparent, effective, and accountable will be impossible as long as he remains in power.
Having heard the audio, I really cannot see how it could be punctuated with an exclamation point. It was amazingly wimpish and obviously rehearsed. It probably should have been, "Hell no, I destroyed the evidence."
It's just another way for the corruption and criminality of the United Nations to be displayed for all the world to see.
On FNC earlier in the week the British reporter said that Kofi's aid shredded 3 years worth of documents.
Does anyone else but me think the sudden media attention to the Kofi problem is orchestrated by Bill Clintoon so he can be named leader of the world?
I know... its cynical, but that's how far we've come
Kofi Annan is not Stalin. But as the truth comes out, a whole lot of people will be saying "Gee I didn't realize he was a bad man", when in fact, it's been obvious for a long time.
Hell no! He must go!
Exactly...he couldn't even say it like he meant it.
Clearly taking their cue from the grifter's administration.
No.
The bottom line is there are several investigations and clinton is being looked at via the Marc Rich pardon.
The only thing he's orchestrating is spinning it as best he can.
High level officials shredding documents? I think the official penalty for that is $10,000 and a wink from the government prosecutor.
I wouldn't put it past the Clintonistas to come up with such an elaborate plan. Praise and support Annan publicly while working hard to discredit him behind closed doors. Very Clintonesque.
Absolutely, the good ship Koffi is leaking oil. The longer he stays at the UN, the more damage he does to France's favorite toy (hell to every thug and dictator's favorite toy).
Gee, what if those weren't the only copies...?
No surprise here. I wouldn't be surprised if witnesses end up dead.
The UN! Our friends to the end! < /sarc >
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