Probe into Annan’s papers

Investigators probing alleged corruption at the United Nations’ Iraq Oil-For-Food programme are scrutinizing thousands of pages of UN S...

Investigators probing alleged corruption at the United Nations’ Iraq Oil-For-Food programme are scrutinizing thousands of pages of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s documents, including e-mail and phone records, to determine whether he exerted influence in securing a contract for a Swiss company that employed his son.

Paul Volcker, the head of the independent investigation, confirmed the document search and told the Associated Press that new information had led investigators to delay publishing their findings about Annan’s son Kojo, whose activities have embroiled the UN chief in the growing scandal.

‘‘There were things that came along that threw us back,’’ Volcker said in an interview.

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The UN Oil-For-Food programme was its largest humanitarian aid operation and ran from 1996 to 2003. It was designed to allow the former Iraqi government to sell limited amounts of oil in exchange for humanitarian goods as an exemption from sanctions in place since 1991.

Dr Mohammed al-Jibouri, Iraq’s trade minister, said that more has yet to be revealed on specific individuals’ roles in the scandal. He did not specify any names in his comments, made to Associated Press television news.

‘‘There are a lot of names, and I hope there will be some fairness on that — not to shut out the light, and put this in the dark, under the carpet,’’ Al-Jibouri said.

Al-Jibouri said the programme initially had been a ‘‘huge success’’ in helping ordinary Iraqis contend with UN sanctions imposed on Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War. —PTI

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