November 18, 2005
THE FRENCH CONNECTION: IT'S GETTING CLOSER TO KOFI
Odd indeed that it has not been reported in the main Canadian and US media that the former French ambassador to the UN and then special adviser to Secretaary General Kofi Annan has admitted to accepting some $200,000 from Iraq in 2002 (Daily Telegraph).
One of France's most distinguished diplomats has confessed to an investigating judge that he accepted oil allocations from Saddam Hussein, it emerged yesterday.
Jean-Bernard Mérimée is thought to be the first senior figure to admit his role in the oil-for-food scandal, a United Nations humanitarian aid scheme hijacked by Saddam to buy influence.
The Frenchman, who holds the title "ambassador for life", told authorities that he regretted taking payments amounting to $156,000 (then worth about £108,000) in 2002.
The money was used to renovate a holiday home he owned in southern Morocco. At the time, Mr Mérimée was a special adviser to Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general...
No decisions have been announced about possible criminal charges against Mr Mérimée. He told the judge that he did not declare the income to the tax authorities, according to Le Figaro.
George Galloway, the Respect MP, has been accused of accepting similar payments by investigators working for the UN and the US Senate, but has denied that he accepted any benefit...
Inquiries have also found that French firms benefited disproportionately from oil-for-food contracts as part of an Iraqi policy to influence French votes on the UN Security Council...
One would love to know details of any Russian oil-for-food connections.
Posted by markc at November 18, 2005 10:35 AM | TrackBack