Iraqis blocking final oil-for-food shutdown -UN (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Iraqis blocking final oil-for-food shutdown -UN
01 Feb 2007 00:42:54 GMT
Source: Reuters

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Four years after the U.N. Security Council ordered
the shutdown of the troubled oil-for-food program for Iraq, some Iraqi officials still
appear intent on using it for illegal gains, it was disclosed on Wednesday.

The United Nations has been trying to close down the $64 billion program since the 2003
U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, which ousted Saddam Hussein from power.

-snip-

However, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a Dec. 8 letter made public on Wednesday,
said that task had been complicated by allegations from two vendors that authentication
documents needed to clear some of the last payments "have been improperly withheld by
authorities in Iraq."

"Furthermore it has also been alleged that payments have been requested from the vendors
as a condition for authentication," added Annan, whose term as U.N. leader ended on
Dec. 30.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N31391015.htm

A shakedown and Saddam isn't around to take the blame.