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| Sunday, 12 December 2004 |
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US backs out on annan Globescan by M. P. Muttiah The Bush administration, had at last, bowed down to the truth. The US Ambassador John Danforth said that the Bush administration had faith in UN Secretary General Koffi Annan and did not want him to leave office. Senator Norm Coleman, a Minnesto Republican, who heads a sub-committee investigating the oil-for-food program scandal in Iraq, called for Annan to step down. Republicans, who had always targeted outspoken Annan, for his views on the international situation, made a big hue and cry over the alleged involvement of Annan's son Kojo with the Swiss Company Catecna Inspection S.A., which was awarded an oil-for-food contract in 1998. There was no evidence that Annan's son had done anything improper or illegal as an advisor to the company. Koffi Annan, who was handpicked by the Clinton Administration to replace Bhoutros Bhoutros Ghali, was critical of Bush administration's occupation war on Iraq. There was dissatisfaction among Republicans over his reluctance to send UN experts to Iraq even after 22 people, including his friend Sergio Vieira de Mello, was killed in Baghdad. The US adminstration, pondered for more than a week and said on Thursday that it had faith in Annan. Backing for Annan came from the 54-nation African Union, 25-member European Union, Arab nations and many others including British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In an open letter, prominent South Africans, including former President Nelson Mandela, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu called the campaign against Annan "reprehensible and unjust" and said it reflected American arrogance. "Those who call for his resignation betray the objectivity of his position as Secretary-General demands and regard the United Nations as a mouthpiece to extol and exonerate the policies of the United States of America, right or wrong," they said. |
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