Posted on 03/22/2003 12:48:36 AM PST by HAL9000
UNITED NATIONS, March 21 (AFP) - Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations accused Secretary General Kofi Annan Friday of wanting to run Iraq's oil sale program and distribute the proceeds at his discretion.
Mohamed al-Douri told reporters that a United Nations draft resolution introduced Thursday "calls for the forfeiting of the oil of the Iraqi state and implementing the colonial illusion of the removal of the State of Iraq."
The visibly angered Iraqi ambassador claimed that the draft resolution had been written by the United States and Britain, and that its presentation by Annan to the Security Council was incompatible with his role as the UN secretary general.
Annan asked the Security Council on Thursday to enable him to take over the Iraqi oil-for-food programme and change it to meet the needs of those hit hardest by war.
The draft resolution, al-Douri said in a prepared statement, aimed at "the transforming of Iraq and the region into colonies under the control of the world American and Zionist oil mafia."
Al-Douri -- who refused to take questions -- said the draft resolution would allocate some of the program funds "to activities not related to the humanitarian program but to activity of political and intelligence nature."
The program, which allows Iraq to export oil and import humanitarian goods exempt from UN sanctions, is run as a joint venture by Baghdad and the United Nations. Its budget is close to 10 billion dollars a year.
The program was suspended on Monday, when Annan ordered all international staff working for the United Nations to leave Iraq.
Al-Douri also accused Annan of dereliction of duty for failing to condemn the violence.
The US-led attack "is a flagrant material breach of the international law, the UN Charter and the Security Council resolutions relevant to Iraq, all of which emphasize Iraqi sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity," he said.
The office of Annan's spokesman said that the UN chief would respond to the charges on Saturday.
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