Thursday, Mar 31, 2005
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By Sridhar Krishnaswami
WASHINGTON, MARCH 30. Maintaining that the latest report on the United Nations Oil-for-Food programme was an "exoneration", the U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has rejected calls for his resignation. In a rare use of words Mr. Annan, when asked if he was planning to step down, said: "Hell, no". "After so many distressing and untrue allegations have been made against me, this exoneration by the independent inquiry obviously comes as a great relief," the Secretary General remarked. The independent investigation by the former Chair of the Federal Reserve Board, Paul Volker, found no direct wrong doing by Mr. Annan but faulted him for the management of the world body and in the fashion the oil for food programme for Iraq was run. "I accept the criticism," Mr. Annan told reporters in New York even while referring to a letter attached to the report in which his lawyer had said that the Secretary-General was only acting on the advice of three of his advisers. Mr. Volker faulted Mr. Annan for not setting in motion a more vigorous internal probe on the issue of a conflict of interest caused by the latter's son Kojo Annan with a United Nations contractor in Geneva or in the bribery allegations pending against the firm. The report issued by Mr. Volker is the second and came at a time when the Secretary-General has had a rough time dealing with allegations of sexual abuse by U.N. peacekeepers and of sexual harassment and mismanagement by senior United Nations staffers. But only last week Mr. Annan announced plans for the biggest overhaul of the world body in its six decade history. "The U.N. has had a problem of credibility in its administrative arrangements. I think we all share the hope and confidence that the results of our investigation...may contribute to the larger objective of a reformed U.N., a U.N. capable of commanding and maintaining the support of its member states and the public at large," Mr. Volker said.
U.S. support
The Bush administration seems to be brushing off calls from Congressional circles for Mr. Annan to step down. The State Department said that the White House continued to "support the Secretary-General and his work". But some lawmakers did not share this view. "Kofi Annan is responsible for the failed management that resulted in the fraud and abuse of the oil-for-food programme," said Republican Senator Norm Coleman.
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