Report on UN Modernization Overshadowed by Annan Resignation Talk
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=A40667:2F72C9DDiplomats express confidence in embattled secretary-general amid
charges of corruption in Iraq oil-for-food program
Kofi AnnanQuestions about U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's future
have clouded the release of a high level panel's report on reforming
the world body. Panel members and diplomats are expressing confidence
in the embattled secretary-general, amid charges of corruption in the
Iraq oil-for-food program.
The report presented to Secretary-General Annan Thursday is described
as perhaps the most comprehensive and ambitious review undertaken
since the United Nations was founded.
The 95-page document contains 101 recommendations, including a
revamping of the Security Council and other U.N. bodies, and a
restructuring of the U.N. bureaucracy.
It was written by a panel of 16 eminent persons, led by former Thai
Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun. But as Mr. Panyarachun briefed
journalists on the report Thursday, he was forced to address the
question to Mr. Annan's future as secretary-general.
"I personally have the greatest respect for Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, so we have faith and confidence in his integrity, and I think
that at this juncture of the history of the United Nations its
important that he continues to provide the leadership that is needed
to carry out change process and go ahead with the recommendations we
have submitted to him," he said.
At another point, the former Thai prime minister was asked if the
growing controversy surrounding the Iraq oil for food program had
given a greater sense of urgency to the issues of U.N. reform. The
chief of the report writing staff, Stanford University professor
Stephen Stedman, interrupted to answer.
"You don't need oil-for-food to have sense of urgency about this house
- 800,000 people died in a genocide in 1994 and nobody responded," he
said. "You had several members going to war over Iraq with other
members saying 'no'. There's no consensus whatsoever in the member
states regarding what is proper role of the United Nations in terms of
security. What are the threats that we face. None of that. If that
doesn't make you urgency about need for change, it's not clear to me
how oil for food is going to put you over the edge to now make it more
serious."
The issue of Mr. Annan's future grew in intensity through the day as
word spread that President Bush had called for a "full and fair" probe
of allegations into oil-for-food program corruption.
Algerian Ambassador Abdallah Baali, briefing reporters in his capacity
as this month's president of the Security Council, said there was no
call among member states for the secretary-general's resignation.
"This debate has been taking place outside the United nations and in
the media and as far as we are concerned, Algeria and the other
members of the Untied Nations, the secretary-general has been elected
for five years, his mandate ends in December, 2005, so the rest is
just discussion outside the United Nations and between the media and
other people," he said.
President Bush refused to say Thursday whether the secretary-general
should resign.
But a day earlier, the head of a U.S. Senate subcommittee
investigating the humanitarian program, did issue a resignation call.
Senator Norm Coleman's comment in a U.S. newspaper opinion page
article came after revelations that Mr. Annan's son had received
monthly payments from a key oil-for-food program contractor until
early this year. The payments totaled more than $125,000.
U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard this week rejected calls for the
secretary-general's resignation, saying "a few voices doesn't make a
chorus". He noted that no country has asked for Mr. Annan to step
down, and pointed to a letter of support signed by 2,700 U.N. staff
members.