Annan to discipline head of UN program
news.com.au  | 4 February 2005
 

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will discipline the former director of the oil-for-food program for Iraq and another official named in a investigation into the operation, his chief of staff said today.

Benon Sevan, who was in charge of the program, was accused in a report from Paul Volcker, the former head of the US Federal Reserve, of using his position to solicit and receive oil allocations for a trading firm. Another official, Joseph Stephanides, was said to intervene in selecting contractors in the program.

But Mark Malloch Brown, Mr Annan's new chief of staff, acknowledged that there was limited action that could be taken against Mr Sevan, who has retired, although Mr Stephanides was still on UN staff.

Should there be proof of criminal acts, however, Mr Annan would immediately lift diplomatic immunity on any UN official, Mr Malloch Brown told a news conference.

Mr Sevan, in a statement released by his lawyers, denied the allegations and said he was being made a political scapegoat.