NYT/AP: Oil Inquiry Finds No Proof Annan Knew of Son's Contract Bid

[DeepModem Mom]

Oil Inquiry Finds No Proof Annan Knew of Son's Contract Bid
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: March 29, 2005
Filed at 11:41 a.m. ET


NEW YORK (AP) -- Investigators of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq said Tuesday there was not enough evidence to show that Secretary-General Kofi Annan knew of a contract bid by his son's Swiss employer.

The report obtained by The Associated Press accused Annan's son, Kojo, and the company, Cotecna Inspection S.A., of trying to conceal their relationship after the contract was in place. It also criticized the U.N. chief for not determining the exact nature of his son's relationship with the firm.

The conclusion in the investigators' report was not the clear vindication that the secretary-general wanted, although the investigation led by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker did not accuse the U.N. chief of corruption.

The report obtained Tuesday said ``there is no evidence'' the selection of Cotecna for an inspection contract ``was subject to any affirmative or improper influence of the secretary-general in the bidding or selection process.''

Investigators also said ``the evidence is not reasonably sufficient'' that Annan knew about Cotecna's bid in 1998....


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-UN-Oil-For-Food.html

[papau]

1. now Fox begins the spin ... - and MSM follows so as to not look liberal

Will any in media note that those Fox talking heads, GOPers, and media whores have been found implying something they can not prove -

as in one more smear via one more assertion that the media treated as "he said/she said" without noting that the media never had any info that agreed with GOP Congressional and neo-con liars accusation?

[underpants]

2. Report: No Proof Annan Knew of Deal Bid

Hard to some this up in only 4 paragraphs but basically (my reading) the report says that oversight was not perfect but there was no sign of anything illegal or any cover up BY Kofi Annan just that Kojo was not completely forthcoming to his father or Volcker's investigation.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/un_oil_for_food

NEW YORK - Investigators of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq said Tuesday there was not enough evidence to show that Secretary-General Kofi Annan knew of a contract bid by his son's Swiss employer.

The report's conclusion was not the clear vindication that the secretary-general had wanted, though the investigation led by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker did not accuse the U.N. chief of corruption or any other wrongdoing.

At a press conference after the report was released, Volcker said the investigation found no evidence that Kofi Annan improperly influenced the process by which Cotecna was selected for an inspection contract under the oil-for-food program.


"Our investigation has disclosed several instances in which he might, or could have become aware, of Cotecna's participation in the bidding process," Volcker said. "However, there is neither convincing testimony to that effect nor any documentary evidence.

[Guckert]

3. Will the Faux news and GOP Bile throwers apologize to Mr. Annan??

I think NOT!!

[daleo]

4. Slander and unproven allegations usually get the job done.

Proof is such a quaint notion, nowadays.

[Viking12]

5. I'm sure Norm Coleman will apologize ASAP. Not.

Re:puke:

[Moderator]

6. kick to combine

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Annan cleared over oil-for-food

.
.
.

Tuesday, 29 March, 2005, 23:36 GMT 00:36 UK

Annan cleared over oil-for-food

Volcker's team is due to present his final report this summer
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has been cleared of wrongdoing over an Iraq oil deal involving his son but a report has queried his handling of the affair.

/snip/

The UN leader said he was happy with the findings of the interim report and he brushed aside a reporter's question about whether he would resign with the words, "Hell, no".

"I have lots of work to do and I am going to go ahead and do it," he said.




I wonder,

Is this the end of the controversy,

or will it continue . . ?

I for one am pleased that he was absolved of wrong-doing, I am a wee bit leery of who might have replaced him should that have been a requirement - NOT that the US would try to get one of their poodles in there or anything ya know . .

[psychopomp]

8. I so hope that Annan is in the right

however, how could he not have known? Ref. the following:
While Kofi Annan said he accepted that criticism, he was happy with the report's findings. "After so many distressing and untrue allegations have been made against me, this exoneration by the independent inquiry obviously comes as a great relief."

Volcker said the investigation found no evidence that Kofi Annan improperly influenced the process by which Cotecna was selected for an inspection contract under the oil-for-food program.

"Our investigation has disclosed several instances in which he might, or could have become aware, of Cotecna's participation in the bidding process," he said. "However, there is neither convincing testimony to that effect nor any documentary evidence.

"Taking all of this into account, the committee has not found the evidence is reasonably sufficient to show that the secretary general knew that Cotecna had participated in the bidding process in 1998," Volcker said.
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2005/03/30/976275-sun.html

It seems that his son might have let him know that his company had put in a bid. OTOH he might not have said anything in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

[anarchy1999]

9. I heard something about this on NPR last night. I thought to myself

(which is probably never a good thing), good for you Mr. Annan. A reporter asked if he thought he should step down?

I would have loved to hear him say he would if George Bush would. That would have been a rich moment in history.