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.
Bullsquat!
If Annan REALLY wanted to get to the bottom of the scandal, he would RELEASE THE DOCUMENTS the U.S. Congressional Investigation requested...
This "in house" white wash by Volker will go nowhere and no one will be punished sufficiently for their crimes...
These CRIMES of corruption at the U.N. go much further than simply greedy bastards lining their pockets with Iraqi money.
This U.N. corruption, falsely convinced Saddam he could resist America's threats of war, which ultimately led to war with the sacrifice borne mostly by American treasure and blood..
The Iraqi war would NOT have been necessary, if the U.N., France, Germany and Russia had NOT been on the take....
Just my opinion.... Annan's son is smack in the middle of this mess, along with Annan's personally picked right hand man....
Had a feckless imbecile like Kerry been President - NONE of this would ever have reached the light of day, because Saddam would still be in power and the records of corruption still hidden in an Iraqi Oil Ministry building...
Gee, do you suppose THAT is why the Oil Ministry was PROTECTED from the looters?
Semper Fi
boo boo. want some cheese with that whine?
Kofi - What are you, an idiot? Or do you just think WE are idiots. Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks.
Just how, exactly, do you "hurt" the UN? Are their feelings hurt? And how do you "hurt" an organization that has basically done nothing for years. It is simply a jobs program where people from all different countries get to come and live in the USA legally for awhile. It is nothing but a ruse, I tell ya'.
Cry me a river, Kofi.
A little know fact concerning the UN's site on the East River is that it is on Turtle Bay. The property was owned by the ROCKEFELLER family before they DONATED it to the UN for their headquarters.
Now, the REST of the story.
Turtle Bay was very near where the British hanged 21 year-old American patriot NATHAN HALE during the early stages of the our war for independence.
Does anyone else find it interesting that the Rockefellers – whose internationalist, US sovereignty-busting activities are well known to anyone who has done the research – would help to site the UN – an organization dedicated to ANYTHING but preserving US sovereignty – on the same spot where one of the heroes of the American Revolution declared that he had but one life to give for his country?
Sure! And Saddam Hussein was a humanitarian.
Please don't get me started on the multiple subjects in your post. It is a target rich statement.
This will be one of these protracted investigations that drops off the radar screen a year or two down the road ... nothing will come of it ... guaranteed. If you need a frame of reference just think back to the Clinton scandals ...
Kofi and UN need to dumped on the ash heap of history. The UN needs to be destroyed.
If they have the nerve to follow this thing all the way, I think they will find old Kofi is dirty.
Publicly hang this weasel Anan and any other UN weasels that don't leave...then turn it into a useful, functional property with the UN, should they go on, moving to ANYWHERE but America...and guess who wants to be Secretariat General (Head World Weasel of Communists) of the UN in '06? Yup, Bill friggin Clinton...SCREW THE UN AND WORLD COMMUNISTS LIKE JOHN KERRY!!
Poor Koffi and his UN! That's what they don't want - accountability. The UN is supposed to be like Charles Manson, "We make the rules from here!" {waving hands erratically in the air}
Screw the UN BTTT
(((PING)))
I hope this probe is only the beginning.
vaudine
Message to Anan: If there is justice in this world, the inquery will find YOU guilty as charged, your stuck pig.
Someone bring the "man" a tissue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.