Iraq envoy objects to funding inquiry

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Iraq ambassador to the United Nations objects to financing the inquiry into the oil-for food program scandal with funds he says belong to his country.

Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie told reporters Friday at U.N. World Headquarters in New York, the day after the Independent Inquiry Committee for the Oil-For-Food-Program released preliminary findings, he thought it was unfair the people of his nation had to pay to find out who stole from them and how much.

"It is outrageous that Iraqi funds were mismanaged and then we have to pay for finding out about it," he said. He said he has written U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Security Council with his concerns.

The preliminary report faulted former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Undersecretary-General Benon Sevan, who was in charge of the humanitarian program, and Joseph Stephanides, who figured in contract allocations.

Annan appointed an independent committee to investigate the program and the U.N. Security Council unanmimously approved a mandate for it and endorsed a $30 million budget for the inquiry to be taken from Iraq oil revenues, which funded the oil-for food program.