Annan to meet UN Security Council on oil-for-food investigation

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 26, 2004

Annan to meet UN Security Council on oil-for-food investigation

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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked to meet with Security Council members to review the workings of a proposed independent panel to probe allegations of corruption within the United Nations oil-for-food humanitarian program for Iraq.

Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard told a press briefing Thursday that the UN chief had informally shared the draft terms of reference for the panel with council members.

"Annan was still talking to possible panel members and may not finalize the list of names by Friday, but he still hoped to put out a letter about the investigation by the end of tomorrow, although that schedule may slip into next week," Eckhard said.

Annan wanted the council's support for the panel, since, without the cooperation of governments and companies, the investigation was not likely to succeed, Eckhard said.

"So for those two reasons, he is looking for a signal from the council that they agree with his going ahead" and is confident that he will get it, the spokesman said.

Asked about reports that the Pentagon has found signs of overpricing in the oil-for-food program, the spokesman said officials from the program did meet with Pentagon contracting experts involved in the study of oil contracts and shared information.

"The UN had not yet seen the Pentagon report and would not be able to comment until it had been reviewed," he said.

Reports reaching here said that the General Accounting Office of the United States has put the level of corruption in the oil-for-food program at 10 billion US dollars.

Source: Xinhua

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