Oil-for-food probe expected to accuse UN director

[Up2Late]

(Thank God, for once the story is not about som bogus charges agaist Kofi, Who I like a lot and think is doing a good job.)

Oil-for-food probe expected to accuse UN director

Sun Aug 7, 2005 10:37 AM ET

By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An investigation into the U.N. oil-for-food program will accuse for the first time on Monday the director of the defunct $67 billion operation of getting cash from oil deals. A U.N.-established Independent Inquiry Committee, led by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, plans to release on Monday its third interim report on allegations of corruption in the humanitarian program for Iraq, which began in 1996 and ended in 2003.

Benon Sevan, the executive director of the program, is to be accused of getting a kickback for steering Iraqi oil contracts to an Egyptian trader and of refusing to cooperate with the Volcker panel, his attorney Eric Lewis said. Lewis called the charges "flatly false." He released Sevan's side of the story in lengthy documents on Thursday after receiving a letter from the panel outlining "adverse findings" that the report would contain. No sums were given for the alleged bribes.

Sevan, a Cypriot with a distinguished 40-year career in the United Nations, is alleged to have taken bribes "in concert with" the brother-in-law of former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Lewis said. "The IIC claims that Mr. Sevan received money from African Middle East Petroleum in concert with Fred Nadler, a friend, and a relative by marriage of Mr. (Fakhry) Abdelnour, the principal of AMEP," Lewis said.

Nadler is the brother of Leia Boutros-Ghali, wife of the former secretary-general. Abdelnour, the owner of AMEP, is a cousin of Boutros-Ghali, U.N. chief from 1992 to 1996. Boutros-Ghali himself has been questioned by the panel but is not linked to the bribe allegations. The Volcker committee, in its Feb. 3 interim report, expressed suspicion about four payments, amounting to $160,000, that Sevan had declared to the United Nations as funds from his now-deceased aunt.

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=9295817&src=rss/topNews>
(more at link above)

[samdogmom]

1. Why is this such a big deal when the billions of dollars in reconstruction

money that has disappeared since our invasion of Iraq not even being investigated? Another diversion. I guess if American corporations steal it's okay.

[hack89]

2. Because without its credibility, how can the UN be a force for good?

If you believe that UN sanctions are a valuable way to non-violently change the behavior of bad countries than there has to be a universal perception that the sanctions will be levied fairly and impartially.

[leesa]

3. Because the media and BushCo are trying to smoke screen BushCo's crimes.

Don't let them crowd out all the other news coming out with this story.

[Judi Lynn]

4. What has been done to follow up info. on people like Texan David Chalmers

Texas businessman indicted in U.N. oil-for-food probe
From Phil Hirschkorn
CNN

Friday, April 15, 2005 Posted: 2:59 AM EDT (0659 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Federal authorities indicted a Texas oil executive, a South Korean businessman and two others Thursday as part of a U.S. probe of the United Nations' Iraq oil-for-food program.

David Chalmers, owner of the Houston-based company Bayoil Inc., which participated in the U.N. program, was arrested in the Texas city Thursday and made an initial appearance in federal court. Chalmers and two associates are accused of paying millions to the regime of Saddam Hussein to secure oil deals, thereby diverting money from the U.N. humanitarian aid program.

U.S. Attorney David Kelley also announced an indictment against Korean businessman Tongsun Park, who allegedly worked as a lobbyist and tried to influence U.N. officials while disguising his relationship with the Iraqi regime. Park is believed to be at large in South Korea.

Chalmers faces three felony charges in an indictment unveiled by Kelley, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office is overseeing the federal criminal probe. Charged with the businessman were two of his oil traders -- John Irving of Britain, who lives in London, and Ludmil Dionissiev of Bulgaria, who lives in Houston as a permanent legal alien.
(snip/...)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/04/14/oilfood.indictment/

[wtmusic]

5. This is setting the stage for "UN reform"

which so about as necessary as SS reform, which is far less necessary than war crimes indictments for the Bush administration.

Bolton will be portrayed as "rolling up his shirtsleeves", "getting the job done", etc

[0007]

6. I think you got it right!

[Up2Late]

8. Exactly, I couldn't have said it better

:banghead: :mad:

[stepnw1f]

7. What Crock of Shit!

Impeach every f*n Neo-Con nutbag.