Annan rejects Iraq oil bribe claim

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The UN Secretary General has dismissed allegations that France and Russia might have been willing to ease sanctions on Iraq in return for oil.

Kofi Annan told the Jonathan Dimbleby programme on British TV channel ITV1 the claims were "inconceivable". "These are very serious and important governments. You are not dealing with banana republics," he added. The allegations were made earlier this month in a report by the US-led Iraqi Survey Group.

Particular attention was allegedly given to French and Russian nationals due to the fact that the two countries hold permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

But Mr Annan firmly dismissed the claims: "I don't think the Russian or the French or the Chinese government would allow itself to be bought because some of their companies are getting contracts from the Iraqi authorities," Mr Annan said. "I don't believe it at all," he added. In the same interview, being broadcast on Sunday, the UN secretary general also said the US-led war on Iraq had not made the world a safer place

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3750126.stm