United Nations: Charging United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan with doing the
bidding of the United States, Iraq sharply criticised him for not speaking out
against US-led military action and recalling UN personnel even before the war
started.
Iraqi UN Ambassador Mohammed Aldouri also denounced Annan's proposal to the Security
Council to make him sole incharge of "oil-for- food" programme and saw in it a
design to put his country's natural resources in hands of "American and Zionist oil
mafia". The proposal, he said, was drawn up by the Americans.
Pointing out that Annan had not denounced the US-led attack, he said the Secretary-
General should have at least told the UNSC that the attack threatens the
international peace and security with "gravest dangers" as also the future of the
world body.
The attack, he said, constituted "flagrant breach of international Law, the UN
Charter and the Security Council resolution", all of which emphasise respect for
Iraq's sovereignty, political independence and political integrity.
Aldouri, whose personal attack on Annan on March 21 came as a surprise, was highly
critical of the Secretary-General for withdrawing UN personnel in the demilitarised
zone between Iraq and Kuwait, saying that paved the way for invasion.
Experts of Middle East of the 15 members of the Security Council are meeting over
the weekend to draw up a resolution which would put Annan in charge of the "oil-for-
food" programme so as to resume earliest the humanitarian assistance to Iraqis, 60
per cent of whom are dependant on aid agencies.
PTI
