March 30, 2005
The shreds of evidence that could destroy UN chief
From James Bone in New York
KOFI ANNAN faced growing pressure to stand down as UN
Secretary-General yesterday when an independent inquiry into the Iraq
Oil-for-Food scandal found that UN documents were shredded in a
possible cover-up.
The investigation found that Iqbal Riza, Mr Annan’s chief of staff,
ordered the shredding the day after the Security Council approved the
inquiry last April, and the shredding continued until the week of
December 7.
The documents covered the crucial period from 1997 to 1999, when the
Swiss company that employed Mr Annan’s son, Kojo, as a consultant was
awarded a lucrative UN border-inspection contract in Iraq.
Ten days before the shredding, Mr Riza had sent the heads of nine
UN-related agencies a directive asking them to “take all necessary
steps to collect, preserve and secure all files, records and documents
.. . . relating to the Oil-for-Food programme”.
Paul Volcker, who led the inquiry, said: “Whether that material
contained any evidence that we did not otherwise get from UN files
more generally is, of course, not known.”
The possible cover-up adds a new dimension to a scandal that has
tarnished the reputation of the UN and dozens of politicians and
prominent figures who allegedly received favours from Saddam Hussein.
It comes at a time when the UN is also under fire for sexual abuse by
its peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and sexual
harassment and mismanagement by senior staff.
The three-member Volcker commission found that Kojo Annan “actively
participated” in efforts to conceal the true nature of his
relationship with the Swiss firm Cotecna Inspection SA. When news of
this relationship broke in January 1999, Cotecna disguised payments to
Kojo Annan by making them through other companies.
The report also says that Kojo Annan — who is no longer co-operating
with the inquiry — teamed up with a partner to explore other business
opportunities in Iraq under the Oil-for-Food programme and twice met
Saddam’s ambassador.
“Significant questions remain about the actions of Kojo Annan during
the fall of 1998, as well as about the integrity of Kojo Annan’s
business and financial dealings with respect to the programme, and the
committee’s investigation of these matters is continuing,” the inquiry
said.
However, it found no evidence that he had influenced the award of the
UN contract to Cotecna, and said the evidence was “not reasonably
sufficient” to show that the UN chief knew about Cotecna’s bid.
The Secretary-General seized on those words last night to claim the
inquiry had “cleared me of any wrongdoing”, and the White House said
it still supported him.Asked by journalists if he would resign, Mr
Annan replied: “Hell, no.”
But he expressed disappointment at the report’s findings about his
son. “I love my son, and I have always expected the highest standards
of integrity from him,” he said.
“I am deeply saddened by the evidence to the contrary that has
emerged, and particulary by the fact that my son had failed to
co-operate fully with the inquiry.”
Kofi Annan consistently denied that he knew Cotecna was bidding for
the UN border inspection contract, although he had been aware of the
firm’s earlier attempt to get another UN contract.
But the Volcker commission said that the Secretary-General “could have
been alerted to the potential conflict (of interest)” in a number of
ways, “including frequent conversations with his son”. It also said
his internal investigation of the award of the contract had been
inadequate.
The panel noted that Kofi Annan had met Elie Massey, Cotecna’s
founder, shortly before the contract was awarded. It also revealed
that Kofi Annan was a lifelong friend of Michael Wilson, the company’s
vice-president for marketing operations in Africa, and a man whom
called Mr Annan “uncle”.
Mr Wilson originally told investigators that he had alerted Kofi Annan
to Cotecna’s possible interest in bidding for a UN contract in Iraq,
but he called them back within 20 minutes to say he was mistaken. Mr
Annan denied any such conversation ever took place.
The committee also found that Kojo Annan’s business partner, Pierre
Mouselli, had lunch with the UN chief in South Africa in September
1998. “Mr Mouselli stated that he and Kojo Annan told the
Secretary-General at this lunch about their work for Cotecna in
Nigeria as well as their intention to form oil and inspections
companies,” the report said. “Mr Mouselli did not remember the
Secretary-General voicing any concerns.” But Kofi Annan told the
inquiry that the meeting was “so brief I don’t think we had much
substantive discussion”.
Mr Riza, who retired this year, said he had ordered documents to be
shredded at his secretary’s request to save space and assumed there
were copies. The inquiry said it did not find the explanation
persuasive.
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