How £1.6m theft from UN weather agency could force open the entire organis

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How £1.6m theft from UN weather agency could force open the entire organisation's books
By Damien McElroy in Geneva
(Filed: 13/02/2005)

It is the United Nations equivalent of the flap of a butterfly's wings that causes a downpour on the other side of the world. The alleged theft of $3 million (£1.6 million) by an employee of the obscure World Meteorological Organisation has triggered calls from the American Right for a top-to-bottom audit of 16 UN organisations.

Henry Hyde, the powerful American congressman who has been leading investigations into UN corruption, is demanding a rigorous review of the WMO's accounts and those of 15 other UN agencies. Until now, critics of the organisation have confined their inquiries to abuses in the Iraq oil-for-food programme.

In a letter last week to Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, Mr Hyde said: "We are considering a proposal to expand the scope of the International Relations Committee's inquiry from that of the oil-for-food programme to a wider examination of the management practices of the United Nations."

The rise to power, alleged corruption and purported death of the WMO official, Mohammad Hassan, represents an embarrassing charge sheet against UN management practices. During a 20-year career, Hassan is alleged to have cashed an undetermined number of cheques for his own benefit. Colleagues noticed unusual work practices, such as Hassan using his office at weekends to look at cloth samples.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/13/wmet13.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/13/ixworld.html

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1. Only if the White House submits to the same top-to-bottom audit

investigation....beginning with Cheney's Energy meetings, and many other activities on the lost list of corruption allegations against them.......

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2. Just in Koffi Anan will not resign over a fake crisis.