UN corruption concerns 'could derail reforms'

UN diplomats say they are concerned that calls for Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s resignation and allegations of widespread corruption in the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq could derail plans for a sweeping reform.

When a blue ribbon panel, after a year’s work, released a report last week on how the world body should tackle wars, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, poverty and other threats, the spotlight should have been on its 101 recommendations.

Instead the report was eclipsed by headlines that Senator Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, was calling for Annan’s resignation over the oil-for-food allegations.

Algeria’s UN Ambassador Abdallah Baali said: “Many are concerned … because we are distracted now (and) we will not be able to focus on the panel report.”

“There is a growing movement to defend the secretary-general and the United Nations, because member states feel that the attack is not only on the secretary-general but on the UN,” he said.

Annan has called a September 2005 summit in hopes of getting agreement on major reforms, including an expansion of the UN Security Council. But whether his effort will succeed remains in question.

A lot depends on the US and the results of the UN’s oil-for-food investigation headed by former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, as well as five US congressional inquiries.

The Bush administration is unhappy with Annan over Iraq. He called the war “illegal”, wrote a letter opposing the US operation in Fallujah, and has been reluctant to send a large number of experts to help Iraq hold elections.

After the call for Annan’s resignation, US President George Bush twice refused to back him. He said he wanted a thorough, transparent investigation of the oil-for-food program.

But on Thursday, US Ambassador John Danforth expressed confidence in Annan on behalf of the administration and said he should remain at the helm of the UN, an abrupt turnaround.

“We are not suggesting or pushing for the resignation of the secretary-general,” Danforth said. “We have worked well with him in the past and look forward to working with him for some time in the future.”