VN-personeel is vertrouwen in Annan kwijt

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Op vrijdag 19 november 2004 15:54 schreef DrWolffenstein het volgende:
Wat een afgang. De Amerikanen hebben dus gelijk betreffende de VN. Het is geen democratische organisatie en het hoofd ervan gedraagt zich als een klassieke dictator. Compleet met kinderen die bij het leven frauderen.

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Republikeinse VS-senator eist ontslag van Kofi Annan (01/12 03:51)

(Belga)

WASHINTON 01/12 (BELGA/AG) = De Amerikaanse senator Norm Coleman, voorzitter van de parlementaire commissie die de fraude onderzoekt in het VN-programma 'olie voor voedsel' in Irak, eist het ontslag van VN-secretaris-generaal Kofi Annan. Dit schrijft de Wall Street Journal in haar editie van woensdag. De Republikein Coleman eist het ontslag van Annan omdat de grootste fraudezaak in de geschiedenis van de Verenigde Naties tijdens het mandaat van Annan plaatsvond. Coleman wil ook vermijden dat door het aanblijven van Annan de zaak in de doofpot wordt gestopt en de wereld nooit te weten komt hoe er gesjoemeld werd onder het wakende oog van de VN. Volgens Coleman moet Annan verantwoorden hoe het regime van Saddam Hoessein 21 miljard dollar kan verduisteren zonder dat de VN dit opmerken of verhinderen. Coleman heeft het ook over de vermoedelijke betrokkenheid bij het schandaal van de zoon van Kofi Annan. Meer en meer informatie zou erop wijzen dat Annan daarvan op de hoogte was. De relatie tussen Kofi Annan en de administratie van Bush is sinds het begin van de oorlog in Irak ronduit slecht. Amerikaanse kranten hebben al eerder opgeroepen tot het ontslag van Annan. Gisteren weigerde de VS-ambassadeur bij de VN, John Danforth, zijn vertrouwen in Annan te bevestigen.(KVC) (Belga)

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Kofi Annan Must Go

By NORM COLEMAN
December 1, 2004; Page A10

It's time for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.

Over the past seven months, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, has conducted an exhaustive, bipartisan investigation into the scandal surrounding the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. That noble program was established by the U.N. to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people, then languishing under Saddam Hussein's ironfisted rule, as well as the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq by the U.N. after the first Gulf War. While sanctions were designed to instigate the removal of Saddam from power, or at least render him impotent, the Oil-for-Food program was designed to support the Iraqi people with food and other humanitarian aid under the watchful eye of the U.N.

Our Investigative Subcommittee has gathered overwhelming evidence that Saddam turned this program on its head. Rather than erode his grip on power, the program was manipulated by Saddam to line his own pockets and actually strengthen his position at the expense of the Iraqi people. At our hearing on Nov. 15, we presented evidence that Saddam accumulated more than $21 billion through abuses of the Oil-for-Food program and U.N. sanctions. We continue to amass evidence that he used the overt support of prominent members of the U.N., such as France and Russia, along with numerous foreign officials, companies and possibly even senior U.N. officials, to exploit the program to his advantage. We have obtained evidence that indicates that Saddam doled out lucrative oil allotments to foreign officials, sympathetic journalists and even one senior U.N. official, in order to undermine international support for sanctions. In addition, we are gathering evidence that Saddam gave hundreds of thousands -- maybe even millions -- of Oil-for-Food dollars to terrorists and terrorist organizations. All of this occurred under the supposedly vigilant eye of the U.N.

* * *

While many questions concerning Oil-for-Food remain unanswered, one conclusion has become abundantly clear: Kofi Annan should resign. The decision to call for his resignation does not come easily, but I have arrived at this conclusion because the most extensive fraud in the history of the U.N. occurred on his watch. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, as long as Mr. Annan remains in charge, the world will never be able to learn the full extent of the bribes, kickbacks and under-the-table payments that took place under the U.N.'s collective nose.

Mr. Annan was at the helm of the U.N. for all but a few days of the Oil-for-Food program, and he must, therefore, be held accountable for the U.N.'s utter failure to detect or stop Saddam's abuses. The consequences of the U.N.'s ineptitude cannot be overstated: Saddam was empowered to withstand the sanctions regime, remain in power, and even rebuild his military. Needless to say, he made the Iraqi people suffer even more by importing substandard food and medicine under the Oil-for-Food program and pawning it off as first-rate humanitarian aid.

Since it was never likely that the U.N. Security Council, some of whose permanent members were awash in Saddam's favors, would ever call for Saddam's removal, the U.S. and its coalition partners were forced to put troops in harm's way to oust him by force. Today, money swindled from Oil-for-Food may be funding the insurgency against coalition troops in Iraq and other terrorist activities against U.S. interests. Simply put, the troops would probably not have been placed in such danger if the U.N. had done its job in administering sanctions and Oil-for-Food.

This systemic failure of the U.N. and Oil-for-Food is exacerbated by evidence that at least one senior U.N. official -- Benon Sevan, Mr. Annan's hand-picked director of the U.N.'s Oil-for-Food oversight agency -- reportedly received bribes from Saddam. According to documents from the Iraqi oil ministry that were obtained by us, Mr. Sevan received several allotments of oil under Oil-for-Food, each of which was worth hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.

To make matters worse, the actions of Mr. Annan's own son have been called into question. Specifically, the U.N. recently admitted that Kojo Annan received more money than previously disclosed from a Swiss company named Cotecna, which was hired by the U.N. to monitor Iraq's imports under Oil-for-Food. Recently, there are growing, albeit unproven, allegations that Kofi Annan himself not only understands his son's role in this scandal -- but that he has been less than forthcoming in what he knew, and when he knew it.

As a former prosecutor, I believe in the presumption of innocence. Such revelations, however, cast a dark cloud over Mr. Annan's ability to address the U.N.'s quagmire. Mr. Annan has named the esteemed Paul Volcker to investigate Oil-for-Food-related allegations, but the latter's team is severely hamstrung in its efforts. His panel has no authority to compel the production of documents or testimony from anyone outside the U.N. Nor does it possess the power to punish those who fabricate information, alter evidence or omit material facts. It must rely entirely on the goodwill of the very people and entities it is investigating. We must also recognize that Mr. Volcker's effort is wholly funded by the U.N., at Mr. Annan's control. Moreover, Mr. Volcker must issue his final report directly to the secretary general, who will then decide what, if anything, is released to the public.

Therefore, while I have faith in Mr. Volcker's integrity and abilities, it is clear the U.N. simply cannot root out its own corruption while Mr. Annan is in charge: To get to the bottom of the murk, it's clear that there needs to be a change at the top. In addition, a scandal of this magnitude requires a truly independent examination to ensure complete transparency, and to restore the credibility of the U.N. To that end, I reiterate our request for access to internal U.N. documents, and for access to U.N. personnel who were involved in the Oil-for-Food program.

All of this adds up to one conclusion: It's time for Kofi Annan to step down. The massive scope of this debacle demands nothing less. If this widespread corruption had occurred in any legitimate organization around the world, its CEO would have been ousted long ago, in disgrace. Why is the U.N. different?

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Ontwikkelingslanden blijven achter Annan staan 3 december 2004


Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan, de belaagde secretaris-generaal van de Verenigde Naties, krijgt steun van de ontwikkelingslanden. De Beweging van Niet-Gebonden Landen - een groep van 116 landen die voor het overgrote deel in Afrika, Azië en Latijns-Amerika liggen - zal volgende week waarschijnlijk haar vertrouwen in de VN-baas bevestigen.

Invloedrijke kranten en neo-conservatieve politici in de VS vragen het ontslag van Annan. Aanleiding is het grote smeergeldschandaal rond het door de VN beheerde Olie-voor-voedselprogramma, een initiatief om Irak in de jaren negentig aan voldoende eten en geneesmiddelen te helpen ondanks de internationale boycot tegen dat land. Ook Annans zoon Kojo is in dat verband in opspraak gekomen.

De Beweging van Niet-Gebonden Landen (NAM) vergadert volgende week over de zaak. Waarnemers verwachten dat talrijke VN-ambassadeurs uit Azië, Afrika en Latijns-Amerika hun steun zullen uitspreken voor Annan. ‘Dat zal een slag in het gezicht zijn van de Amerikaanse politici die Annans hoofd willen,’ oordeelt een Afrikaanse diplomaat uit één van de NAM-landen. 54 Afrikaanse landen stuurden de Ghanese Annan woensdag al een schriftelijke steunbetuiging.

Annan is aan zijn tweede ambtstermijn bezig. Die eindigt normaal gesproken in december 2006. Maar hij kan vroeger de laan worden uitgestuurd als het onderzoek naar het Olie-voor-voedselprogramma iets tegen hem vindt. Dat onderzoek is in handen van een VN-comité geleid door de voormalige voorzitter van de Amerikaanse Nationale Bank, Paul Volcker. Het comité wil in januari 2005 de voorlopige resultaten presenteren.

Amerikaanse campagne tegen Annan

De Amerikaanse regering weigert voorlopig haar vertrouwen uit te spreken in Annan. Annan heeft de VS tegen zich in het harnas gejaagd door de invasie van Irak in 2003 als ‘illegaal’ te bestempelen. Met een eventueel offensief tegen Annan lijkt Washington wel te willen wachten tot alle feiten op tafel liggen.

Maar niet alle Amerikanen zijn even terughoudend. De Republikeinse senator Norm Coleman, de voorzitter van een Amerikaanse senaatscommissie die een parallel onderzoek uitvoert naar het Olie-voor-voedselschandaal, voert campagne om Annan meteen te ontslaan. Annan leidde de VN, en moet dus verantwoordelijk worden gesteld voor het schandaal, redeneert Coleman. Zolang Annan aan het hoofd van de VN blijft staan, is het volgens hem bovendien onmogelijk de volledige omvang van de smeergeldaffaire bloot te leggen.

Sommige Amerikaanse politici hebben ermee gedreigd de betaling van bijdragen aan de VN terug te schroeven als Annan aanblijft. Washington staat in voor ongeveer 22 procent van het VN-budget. De VS staan al bekend als slechte betaler: ze zijn de VN nog 529 miljoen aan achterstallige bijdragen schuldig.

Hervorming VN in het gedrang

Waarnemers vrezen dat de discussie over Annan de hervorming van de VN en de zoektocht naar nieuwe financieringsbronnen voor ontwikkelingsproblemen zoals de Millenniumdoelen, in het gedrang kan brengen. Dat zijn de belangrijkste thema's die volgend jaar op het VN-programma staan.

De VS hebben eerder al getoond dat ze het tegen de rest van de wereld kunnen opnemen om hun zin in de VN door te drijven. De vorige VN-secretaris-generaal, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, stelde zich op het einde van zijn eerste ambtstermijn ook steeds kritischer op tegenover de VS. Veertien van de vijftien leden van de VN-Veiligheidsraad stemden eind 1996 voor zijn herverkiezing, maar de VS gebruikten toen hun vetorecht. Dat maakte de weg vrij voor de verkiezing van Kofi Annan.

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Op vrijdag 3 december 2004 16:50 schreef zakjapannertje het volgende:

[..]

http://www.oneworld.nl/p_ne_re.asp?BerichtID=3473

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Op vrijdag 3 december 2004 17:12 schreef Strolie75 het volgende:
Moet Sidekick nu een ander icon nemen?

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UN Aide: No UN Member Has Called For Annan 's Resignation

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
December 1, 2004 6:20 p.m.

NEW YORK -- A U.N. spokesman said Wednesday Secretary General Kofi Annan has "heard no calls for resignation from any member state" and is intent on finishing his term.

Spokesman Fred Eckhard was responding to a question at a news briefing following a call by U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, R-Minn, that Annan step down. In an Op/Ed column in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, Coleman said Annan was the head of the U.N. during all but a few days of the Iraq oil-for-food program and therefore must "be held accountable for the U.N.'s utter failure to detect or stop" Saddam Hussein's abuses of the program.

Eckhard said Annan has a "substantive agenda" which he is committed to.

He said if there were "some agitation on the sidelines," that was fine and was healthy debate.

But Eckhard said Annan "is intent on continuing his substantive work for the remaining two years and one month of his term."

An excerpt of Eckhard's remarks was aired by MSNBC.

Some 3,000 U.N. staff members have pledged support for Annan in an internal e-mail, the Cable News Network reported.

According to the e-mail, the staffers describe media reports on the oil-for-food program as biased and not based on fact, CNN said.

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UPDATE:UN Aide:No State Has Called For Annan To Step Down

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
December 1, 2004 7:20 p.m.

(Adds new material throughout.)

UNITED NATIONS (AP)--The U.N. spokesman rejected Wednesday a U.S. senator's call for Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign, saying no country has asked him to step down and 2,700 U.N. staff members have signed a letter of support.

Sen. Norm Coleman, who is leading one of five U.S. congressional investigations into the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq, wrote in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal that Annan should step down because "the most extensive fraud in the history of the U.N. occurred on his watch."

The Minnesota Republican joined several U.S. newspapers and columnists in urging that Annan be replaced.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli backed the congressional investigations and sidestepped the issue of Annan 's resignation, saying "that is not something, frankly, that is in front of us."

Outside the U.S., the secretary-general appears to retain wide support among the 191 U.N. member states which elected him to a second five-year term in 2001. Russia, the U.K., Chile, Spain and other nations on the U.N. Security Council strongly backed Annan in recent days.

"A few voices doesn't make a chorus," U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters when asked whether he envisioned Annan stepping down. "He has heard no calls for resignation from any member state. If there's some agitation on this issue on the sidelines, that's fine. That's healthy debate. But he is intent on continuing his substantive work for the remaining two years and one month of his term."

Annan was doing just that on Wednesday, urging Wall Street financiers to support the global campaign to fight AIDS with money and expertise.

Eckhard said Annan 's agenda for the rest of his term is to campaign for U.N. reform and fulfilling goals adopted by world leaders in 2000 including cutting in half the number of people living in dire poverty by 2015.

But the allegations of corruption in the oil-for-food program, which first surfaced in January, have escalated, embarrassing Annan personally and taking the spotlight off his agenda.

Two weeks ago, Coleman's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said it had uncovered evidence that Saddam Hussein's government raised more than $21.3 billion in illegal revenue by subverting U.N. sanctions against Iraq, including the oil-for-food program.

On Monday, Annan said he was "very disappointed and surprised" that his son, Kojo, received payments until this February from a firm that had a contract with the oil-for-food program. The Swiss-based firm Cotecna Inspection S.A., said he was paid $2,500 a month to prevent him for working for any competitors in Africa after he left the company at the end of 1998.

Annan said he understood "the perception problem for the U.N., or the perception of conflict of interests and wrongdoing." But he reiterated that he has never been involved in granting contracts, to Cotecna or anyone else.

The secretary-general appointed former U.S. Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker to head an independent inquiry into the oil-for-food program. He handed over all U.N. documents and ordered U.N. officials to cooperate.

Volcker wrote to Coleman two weeks ago saying his investigation won't hand over any documents or interviews until its own reports are issued starting in January. Coleman said this was another factor in asking for Annan 's resignation.

Eckhard reiterated that until the Volcker investigation is completed, the secretary-general "will not rush to judgment and he urges others not to rush to judgment either."

Annan also has come under attack from the U.N. staff union for clearing U.N. watchdog Dileep Nair of any wrongdoing and U.N. refugee chief Ruud Lubbers of allegations of sexually harassing an American woman in his agency.

Last week, union leaders representing over 5,000 U.N. employees strongly criticized senior U.N. management. But Rosemarie Waters, president of the United Nations Staff Union, said members still have confidence in the secretary-general.

Eckhard noted that more than 2,700 U.N. Secretariat staff had endorsed a letter supporting the secretary-general "at a time when the organization is facing allegations about its integrity." The e-mail letter, started by U.N. staffers, backs Annan 's "balanced, fair and substantive approach."

Russia's deputy foreign minister Yuri Fedotov told the Interfax news agency that criticism of Annan "is without foundation" and "motivated by a desire to belittle the U.N.'s role as well as to undermine the foundation of the principles of multilateralism in international relations."

Annan "has done a lot to strengthen the authority of the world organization, intensify its role and raise the effectiveness of the steps being taken by the U.N. on the full range of issues in international life," Fedotov said Tuesday.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said his country "gives its full support to the multilateral system, to the United Nations and to its secretary-general." Chile's U.N. Ambassador Heraldo Munoz strongly disagreed with Coleman's call for Annan 's resignation, saying "we trust his leadership."

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Time for a Kofi Break

By GLENN HARLAN REYNOLDS
November 29, 2004; Page A14

Things are going badly for Kofi Annan. The oil-for-food scandal has revealed U.N. behavior regarding Saddam Hussein's Iraq that ranges from criminally inept to outright corrupt. Rape and pedophilia by U.N. peacekeepers haven't gotten the kind of attention they'd get if American troops were involved, but the scandals have begun to take their toll. And the U.N.'s ability to serve its crowning purpose -- the "never again" treatment of genocide that was vowed after the Holocaust, and re-vowed after Cambodia and Rwanda -- is looking less and less credible in the wake of its response to ongoing genocide in Darfur. And finally, the U.N. has so far played no significant role in defusing the Ukrainian crisis.

Things have gotten bad enough that some are calling for Mr. Annan's resignation, amid talk of former Czech President Vaclav Havel as successor. ("Havel for Secretary General" bumper stickers are on the Web.) But however you assess Mr. Havel's chances of becoming secretary general, for Mr. Annan the comparison is devastating. Mr. Havel, after all, is a hero on behalf of freedom: A man who helped bring about the end of communist dominance in Eastern Europe, despite imprisonment and the threat of death -- a man who could write that "Evil must be confronted in its womb and, if it can't be done otherwise, then it has to be dealt with by the use of force." Mr. Annan, by contrast, is a trimmer and temporizer who has stood up for tyrants far more than he has stood up to them.

If the comparison is damning to Kofi, it's even more damning to the U.N. Mr. Havel once wrote Czech dictator Gustav Husak, "So far, you . . . have chosen . . . the path of inner decay for the sake of outward appearances . . . of deepening the spiritual and moral crisis of our society, and ceaselessly degrading human dignity, for the puny sake of protecting your own power." One might say the same of the U.N. bureaucracy.

And that, perhaps, is the only argument against bringing Mr. Havel to the U.N. (Besides the obvious: He probably wouldn't take the job.) The U.N. is losing what shreds of moral legitimacy remain, even among those who were once sympathetic, as the extent of its corruption becomes too obvious to ignore. There's talk of replacing -- or, more diplomatically, supplementing -- the U.N. with a Community of Democracies that would draw its support from legitimate governments, not thugs and kleptocrats. At the very least, it seems likely that the U.N. will soon come under enormous pressure to reform.

But here's a paradox: It's hard to imagine that Mr. Annan could parry the pressure. But a U.N. headed by Mr. Havel might derive enough reflected legitimacy to resist such changes. According to Mr. Annan's Web site, the secretary general is supposed to serve as a "symbol" of U.N. "ideals." It may well be that he's doing that more accurately than Vaclav Havel ever could.