United Nations, 1 December 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is intent on completing his term in office despite calls from a U.S. senator to resign.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard declined to comment on the charges of fraud leveled by Senator Norm Coleman, who heads a congressional inquiry into alleged abuses of the oil-for-food program for Iraq.
Eckhard said Annan is eager to move ahead on initiatives to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and reform the UN's key institutions: "He has heard no calls for resignation from any member state. If there is some agitation on this issue on the sidelines, that's fine, that's healthy debate. But he is intent on continuing his substantive work for the remaining two years and one month of his term."
In comments published in "The Wall Street Journal," Coleman wrote that Annan must be held accountable for what he called the most extensive fraud in UN history.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard declined to comment on the charges of fraud leveled by Senator Norm Coleman, who heads a congressional inquiry into alleged abuses of the oil-for-food program for Iraq.
Eckhard said Annan is eager to move ahead on initiatives to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and reform the UN's key institutions: "He has heard no calls for resignation from any member state. If there is some agitation on this issue on the sidelines, that's fine, that's healthy debate. But he is intent on continuing his substantive work for the remaining two years and one month of his term."
In comments published in "The Wall Street Journal," Coleman wrote that Annan must be held accountable for what he called the most extensive fraud in UN history.