Oil-for-food process 'tainted'
2005-02-03 22:41
New York - The head of the oil-for-food programme in Iraq, Benon Sevan, repeatedly asked for oil allocations from Baghdad and "seriously undermined" UN integrity, an independent enquiry said on Thursday.
The enquiry, led by former US federal reserve banking chief Paul Volcker, said in a statement that Iraq provided such allocations in order to win Sevan's backing for money to rebuild its shattered oil industry.
"Mr Sevan repeatedly solicited allocations of oil under the programme," said the release, which came just before Volcker's panel was to present its initial findings into the scandal-tainted UN programme.
"In making such solicitations, Mr Sevan created a grave and continuing conflict of interest.
His conduct was ethically improper and seriously undermined the integrity of the United Nations," the enquiry said.
- AFP