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Friday April 15, 10:41
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United Nations blame some nations for oil smuggling
(by Brigitta Zulflitzler)
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Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, has blamed Britain and the US for turning a blind eye to illegal oil traffic in the 1990s as Saddam Hussein’s regime was allowed to get billions of dollars.
Mr Annan said that Britain and the US have failed to stop the smuggling from their major allies - Turkey and Jordan.
Mr Rammell insisted that Britain had fully supported the sanctions regime referring to the inquiry by former US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker.
"We have been co-operating fully with the Volcker inquiry. And what I do know is that his interim report actually makes criticisms of the UN management system and not of national governments," he said.
Yesterday a British citizen, John Irving, was arrested in the US with indictment of an arranged scheme according to which millions of dollars have been paid to Saddam’s regime in kickbacks under the UN oil-for-food programme.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said they would demand the extradition from England of John Irving, alleged in oil trading, after two of his associates were arrested.
All three wrongdoers will face up to 62 year imprisonment terms and a maximum fine of £530,000 if convicted. They could also be forced to pay back some £53 million in assets.
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