Friday, November 11 2005 09:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A top UN official yesterday (Nov 10, 2005) said the Volcker Committee report on Iraq's oil-for-food programme 'does not answer all questions'.

"It (the Voclker report) is not a judicial document. It does not answer all questions," UN Under Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor told reporters on the sideline of a function after he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here this evening.

He said India's action in the wake of the Volcker Committee report was consistent with the spirit of the world body and its findings over Iraq's oil-for-food programme do not tantamount to legal determination of guilt.

"Setting up of a commission to get to the root is absolutely consistent with the spirit of which the report was offered to the member-states," the UN official said on the margins of an American university event here.

"As far as the UN is concerned there is no presumption of guilt. It (the report) is not tantamount to legal determination of guilt. It's a fact-finding mission," he said.

He said it was up to the governments to decide whether they intend to act or not on the findings of the Volcker committee.

However, Tharoor cited France's action against one of its ambassadors named in the report, saying there indeed have been variations in governments' response to the Volcker report.

Earlier, Tharoor had a 30-minute meeting with the Prime Minister.

To a question why an Authority was being set up instead of an Inquiry Commission, Chidambaram said, "there is no difference in terms of the objectives to be achieved. There is no difference in the effectiveness of the inquiry and there is no difference on the powers required to enquire into the matter".

"The Commission of Inquiry Act provides for an Authority", he said adding the notification will be published along with the Terms of Reference of the Authority tomorrow".

Asked whether Natwar Singh, who was stripped off the External Affairs portfolio in the wake of Volcker findings, was present at the Cabinet meeting, Chidambaram said the Union Minister was present but left when the issue of setting up of the Authority was taken up for discussion.

At the second meeting of the cabinet also chaired by the Prime Minister approved the terms of reference for the Inquiry Authority, which was part of a resolution adopted by it. Chidambaram said government has consulted Justice Pathak and "whatever provisions he wanted are being given to him".

He said several sections of the Commission of Inquiry Act have been incorporated in the terms of reference and the Authority would also have the power to summon people.

In reply to questions, Chidambaram said the authority would be a one-man Inquiry Authority and it would be called 'Justice R.S Pathak Inquiry Authority'.

He, however, sidestepped questions whether the inquiry would restrict itself to individuals or entities saying "wait for terms of reference tomorrow".

Asked when Justice Pathak would start his work, Chidambaram said there was a special envoy Virendra Dayal to collect materials and he (Justice Pathak) will start as early as possible.