Annan's son admits oil sale role
31jan05
LONDON: The son of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has admitted he was involved in negotiations to sell millions of barrels of Iraqi oil under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Kojo Annan has told a friend he became involved in negotiations to sell 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil to a Moroccan company in 2001. He is understood to be co-operating with UN officials investigating the oil-for-food program.
The claim will increase the pressure on Mr Annan, who is facing US calls for his resignation over management of the program, which allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy humanitarian supplies under UN supervision.
But there have been claims the program was riddled with corruption as the Saddam regime used it to buy influence around the world.
Several senior UN staff are alleged to have profited from the scheme, so the apparent connection between Kojo and the program has become the subject of intense international scrutiny. Critics claim Kofi faces a significant conflict of interest if Kojo sought to profit from the scheme.
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31jan05
LONDON: The son of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has admitted he was involved in negotiations to sell millions of barrels of Iraqi oil under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Kojo Annan has told a friend he became involved in negotiations to sell 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil to a Moroccan company in 2001. He is understood to be co-operating with UN officials investigating the oil-for-food program.
The claim will increase the pressure on Mr Annan, who is facing US calls for his resignation over management of the program, which allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy humanitarian supplies under UN supervision.
But there have been claims the program was riddled with corruption as the Saddam regime used it to buy influence around the world.
Several senior UN staff are alleged to have profited from the scheme, so the apparent connection between Kojo and the program has become the subject of intense international scrutiny. Critics claim Kofi faces a significant conflict of interest if Kojo sought to profit from the scheme.
MORE...
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