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WASHINGTON - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, fending off Republican demands for his resignation over alleged corruption, said Thursday he will expand U.N. support for Iraqi elections if need be. He said he was not offended that President Bush did not ask to see him during this visit to Washington.
The allegations of abuse in a U.N. oil and aid program hung over Annan as he made his rounds visiting outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell and Powell's nominated replacement, White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Both U.S. diplomats, along with Iraq's interim government, have lobbied the United Nations to do more to conduct the elections scheduled for Jan. 30.
Annan addressed the subject at the start of a speech on reforming the world body.
"Let me deal with something that I'm sure is on the minds of all of you: the disturbing allegations over the oil-for-food program," Annan said at the Council on Foreign Relations. "We must get to the bottom of these allegations."
Annan pledged full cooperation with multiple investigations into the allegations. U.N. employees can be fired if they do not comply, he said.
An independent inquiry headed by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker is "the most far-reaching in the history of the United Nations," Annan said.
The program allowed Saddam Hussein's government to sell oil and use the revenue to buy food, medicine and other necessities. Investigations have found that Hussein skimmed billions of dollars from the program using bribes and kickbacks, some involving top U.N. and foreign government officials.
Annan's son, Kojo, worked for a company that had a contract in the oil-for-food program and received payments for years after his employment ended. He worked for the company in Africa, not Iraq.
One of the congressional Republicans calling for Annan's ouster said the pledge of cooperation is welcome but unproved.
"The proof will be in the action, not the words," said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.
Earlier Thursday, Annan said the United Nations could strengthen its preparations for the Iraqi elections, but he stopped short of a promise to do so.