U.N. Iraq Envoy Dogged by Suspicion After Investigators Fail To Clear Him
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
UNITED NATIONS – An independent investigative arm of the United Nations has refused to confirm publicly that the U.N. envoy to Iraq has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an ongoing probe, as Secretary-General Annan’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, announced last week.
Mr. Dujarric’s statement followed a New York Sun report that the watchdog, known as the Office of Internal Oversight Services, had been looking into allegations against the Baghdad-based mission and its head, Ashraf Qazi.
During his April 13 daily briefing to the press, Mr. Dujarric announced that although the OIOS had yet to complete its investigation, the office had informed Mr. Annan that Mr. Qazi would be cleared. Despite vigorous questioning, Mr. Dujarric refused to discuss the source of the allegations or their nature, beyond saying they involved “financial wrongdoing.” Mr. Annan had reiterated his “full confidence” in Mr. Qazi, Mr. Dujarric said.
An oil-for-food report about the earlier scandal in Iraq authored by Paul Volcker criticized the OIOS for being insufficiently independent from the secretary-general’s office. After repeated requests for independent verification, the OIOS yesterday informed Mr. Annan’s spokesman that it will not confirm publicly his assertion that Mr. Qazi had been exonerated prior to the end of the investigation, Mr. Dujarric said yesterday.
