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MONTREAL GAZETTE: Report Spells the End of Kofi Annan
Montreal Gazette ^ | Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Posted on 03/30/2005 9:53:46 AM PST by West Coast Conservative

The long-awaited Volcker report into corruption in the United Nations' oil-for-food program paints a damning picture of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, despite high-level spin within the UN that the report actually vindicates him of wrongdoing.

The report has a distinct connect-the-dots quality to it. At first glance, it doesn't really come out and condemn Annan. But Volcker has clearly invited the international community to connect the dots for itself, and draw its own conclusions about Annan, as well as his suitability to continue as secretary-general.

Maybe that's because former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, the report's author, thinks that the political optics are such that an American should not be seen to be the source of Annan's undoing, especially on an issue that is only one degree of separation removed from the unpopular U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Here's what Volcker says: There is "no evidence" that proves Annan improperly influenced the bidding or selection process for UN oil-for-food contracts awarded to a Swiss firm that employed his own son, Kojo Annan. That's far from total vindication, however.

As Volcker put it, when Kojo's employment with Cotecna Inspection SA first started raising alarm bells, Kofi declined to refer the matter to the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, the world body's ethics counsellor, which would have made it "unlikely" (Volcker's word) that Cotecna would have seen even a dime of UN money.

Instead, Kofi Annan had his office staff look into possible conflict of interest, and the office staff saw nothing wrong. Volcker concludes Annan's response was "inadequate."

Inadequate? Volcker is too kind. Either Annan didn't want to know what the ethics counsellor would have to say, or he didn't know the UN had an ethics counsellor, or he didn't think family involvement in the oil-for-food program was something the ethics watchdog needed to know. At the very least, Annan is guilty of spectacularly poor judgment. In tandem with other "shortcomings" outlined by Volcker with respect to proper supervision of the UN bureaucracy, it's clear Annan has no credible future as secretary-general.

But who's going to tell him that? France? Not likely. With mounting evidence of corruption involving senior French government officials in the oil-for-food affair, France won't be rocking any Annan boats. Neither will Russia and China, two other countries where high-level involvement in this corruption might have, come to think of it, coloured their opposition toward the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

And of course it doesn't help that Annan's office destroyed three years' worth of files on the oil-for-food program just one day after the Security Council passed a resolution last April authorizing Volcker's investigation.

Just connect the dots. What a damning picture it is. Its reputation already in tatters, the UN stands today weaker than it ever has. Only major governance reforms can save the world body now, and the first order of reform business needs to be finding a credible replacement to Annan.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Canada; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: iraq; kofiannan; kojoannan; oilforfood; paulvolcker; saddamhussein; uncorruption; unitednations; volckerreport; wariniraq
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1 posted on 03/30/2005 9:53:46 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
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To: West Coast Conservative
Only major governance reforms can save the world body now, and the first order of reform business needs to be finding a credible replacement to Annan.

No, the first order of business ought to be an OUTSIDE AUDIT of the books.

2 posted on 03/30/2005 9:54:55 AM PST by mewzilla
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To: mewzilla




What books?

They're gone!

"And of course it doesn't help that Annan's office destroyed three years' worth of files on the oil-for-food program just one day after the Security Council passed a resolution last April authorizing Volcker's investigation."


3 posted on 03/30/2005 9:59:25 AM PST by Bigh4u2
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To: mewzilla

Don't tease me MONTREAL GAZETTE


4 posted on 03/30/2005 9:59:36 AM PST by tfecw (Vote Democrat, It's easier than working)
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To: West Coast Conservative

"...the first order of reform business needs to be finding a credible replacement to Annan."


I've heard about ten answers (all different) to this: Is it possible for Bill Clinton to be appointed, nominated (whatever) to Annan's position? Can a permanent member of the security council (the USA, for example) have one of its citizens as UN secretary-general? Thanks, MS


5 posted on 03/30/2005 10:00:38 AM PST by Maria S (Some church members who sing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.)
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To: Bigh4u2

Fortunately, Saddamn kept really good records :)


6 posted on 03/30/2005 10:00:57 AM PST by mewzilla
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To: Maria S

Is it possible for Bill Clinton to be appointed, nominated (whatever) to Annan's position?
=====
I sure as hell hope not. That criminal, anti-US reprobate would just be replacing ANOTHER CRIMINAL ANTI-U.S. REPROBATE....


7 posted on 03/30/2005 10:04:55 AM PST by EagleUSA (Q)
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To: West Coast Conservative

Interesting! Rush just had the exact opposite interpretation on his show - that Volcker's report would allow Goofy to skate since he was willing to pitch his son overboard.


8 posted on 03/30/2005 10:07:01 AM PST by RebelBanker (To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!)
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To: EagleUSA
Hmm i don't think people from nations on the security council get to lead. I may have messed up the terminology a little there.
9 posted on 03/30/2005 10:09:51 AM PST by tfecw (Vote Democrat, It's easier than working)
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To: RebelBanker

The UN's friends are just trying to save the UN now. They're prepared and willing to throw Annan over the side in order to keep the UN, and the gravy train, going.


10 posted on 03/30/2005 10:11:16 AM PST by mewzilla
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To: West Coast Conservative

Good. Kofi has to go.


11 posted on 03/30/2005 10:12:08 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: West Coast Conservative
And of course it doesn't help that Annan's office destroyed three years' worth of files on the oil-for-food program just one day after the Security Council passed a resolution last April authorizing Volcker's investigation.

Well , this tell ya something . da da dah !!! I heard this on FOX yesterday and was like okay Volcker !!! Nothing like letting him off easy.

12 posted on 03/30/2005 10:12:10 AM PST by Deetes (Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick)
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To: mewzilla

I am sure you are right that the UN's friends would throw Kofi over the side to save their own cushy phoney-baloney jobs! The point Rush made is that Kofi is throwing his son Kojo over the side to savi his own posterior.


13 posted on 03/30/2005 10:14:31 AM PST by RebelBanker (To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!)
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To: RebelBanker

Spell check is your friend, dummy!
"savi" => "save"


14 posted on 03/30/2005 10:15:49 AM PST by RebelBanker (To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!)
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To: RebelBanker
Yup, that's just what Annan's done. And what's about to happen to him, from the sound of it.

What goes around, comes around.

15 posted on 03/30/2005 10:17:48 AM PST by mewzilla
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To: RebelBanker

Like I said, I'm amazed at the Canadian journalists who actually get this scandal, since the UN is the darling of the Federal government and our silly foreign policy

The 5th Estate showed a two part documentary on it, I missed the second part focusing on the UN cast of characters in this scandal, the first part centered on France and Russia and various folks actually on the payoff list and they were crucifying Chirac and his crooked cronies as well as the Russians on the list, brilliant



16 posted on 03/30/2005 10:18:02 AM PST by llama hunter
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To: mewzilla

fascists dictators have that personality quirk huh?


17 posted on 03/30/2005 10:18:47 AM PST by llama hunter
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To: RebelBanker

Kofi is getting a lot of criticism from unexpected quarters..even before this report was released....

at the very minimum he is guilty of gross incompetence which should be reason alone to relieve him of his job....


18 posted on 03/30/2005 10:20:55 AM PST by llama hunter
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To: llama hunter
at the very minimum he is guilty of gross incompetence which should be reason alone to relieve him of his job....

No argument here!

19 posted on 03/30/2005 10:29:56 AM PST by RebelBanker (To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!)
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To: West Coast Conservative

Somebody better tell "Coffee and.." that he's finished because he sure as hell doesn't think so and neither do I.


20 posted on 03/30/2005 10:32:39 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (In dealing with liberals remember When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and he loves it.)
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