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Oil-For-Food: The Canadian Connection |
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It is interesting to note that the man named by Kofi Annan to investigate this shocking scandal, Paul Volker, is associated to Power Corp.'s International Advisory Council .pdf. Considering the bank chosen by the UN to administer the funds was BNP Paribas, which is controlled by Power Corp., one wonders if Annan really does want to get to the bottom of the corrupt morass. - Leo - Jan. 18 International Advisory Council 2003 |
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How the Desmarais family clinched its power play ROME - The blockbuster merger of Suez SA and Gaz de France SA, formally announced yesterday, has put Montreal's billionaire Desmarais family at the centre of the world's third-largest power utility. The family's impeccable investment and political connections paid off: The Desmarais got there with a little help from their friends - Albert Frere, their European partner and agent, and none other than Nicolas Sarkozy, the new President of France. (Globe & Mail) PREVIOUS: Oil bosses see politics hurting hunt for reserves French GDF, Suez agree to power merger as GDF Suez
Galloway may face criminal inquiry LONDON - Scotland yard is to take the first steps toward a possible criminal investigation against George Galloway, who faces an 18-day suspension from the Commons over his financial links to Saddam Hussein's regime. (Telegraph UK) PREVIOUS: George Galloway 'should be suspended' Standards and Privileges - Report Iraq charity given improper cash
Tipster faces jail in Saddam oil scandal PARIS - Marc Francelet, a colourful paparazzo turned businessman and newspaper tipster, has swapped the champagne and canapes for prison rations - the latest victim of a massive investigation into bribes handed out by Saddam Hussein. (Guardian UK)
China's CITIC group in talks to buy Canada's Nations Energy BEIJING - CITIC Group, a state-owned conglomerate, is in talks to buy Canadian oil company Nations Energy Co, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Forbes) RELATED: China arms sales 'fuel conflicts' China: The flow of arms accelerates |
$10B lawsuit over 'Oil-for-Food scam' NEW YORK - The Iraqi Government is suing dozens of companies for $10 billion after they allegedly defrauded the country’s citizens out of food and medical provisions during Saddam Hussein’s rule. Iraq has hired Maney and Purrington, a law firm from Texas, to sue 70 corporations such as Chevron, the oil company, GlaxoSmithKline, the drugs group, and BNP Paribas, the French bank, for allegedly paying bribes to the dictator to secure business contracts under the United Nations Oil-for-Food programme. (Times online) MORE: Iraq demands billions from corporations that profited
MOSCOW - Alexandre Kramar, who set the price of Iraqi crude as a UN oil overseer from 1996 to 2003, was an undercover agent for Russia's foreign intelligence agency, the SVR, his former handler says. (Times online)
Fraud inquiry breaks 'special protection' PARIS - The inquiry into the affairs of presidents Omar Bongo, of Gabon, and Denis Sassou N'Guesso, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, marks a break with the protection that was accorded to France’s African “clients” by President Chirac and other former leaders. (Times online)
UN Procurement Scandal: Ties to Saddam and Al Qaeda NEW YORK - It now appears that while doing business with the U.N., IHC Services had links both to Saddam Hussein’s old sanctions-busting networks, and to a Liechtenstein-based businessman, Engelbert Schreiber, Jr., known among other things for his ties to a figure designated by the U.N. itself as a financier of Al Qaeda. (Fox) PREVIOUS: The Estate of John Patrick O'Neill, Sr. vs A secret sales deal
Paul Martin named to advisory panel for African development bank OTTAWA - Former prime minister Paul Martin has been named co-chair of a high-profile panel that will advise the African Development Bank Group on its strategic vision. (CP) | |
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Canada blew whistle on Oz's 'wheat-for-weapons' scandal GATINEAU - As Australian Prime Minister John Howard wraps up his three-day visit to Canada today, new revelations are emerging in a "wheat-for-weapons" scandal rocking his government back home, which could have been prevented if a Canadian official's warnings about illegal Australian payments to Saddam Hussein had been heeded in January 2000. (CanWest) |
Kickbacks known for five years Whistle blown on deal: Bosses knew Wheat 'kickbacks' to Indonesia, Bangladesh and Mexico | |
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Wyatt sentenced to year in prison NEW YORK - Texas oilman Oscar Wyatt, 83, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison on Tuesday for conspiracy in the U.N. oil-for-food scandal, becoming the most prominent figure jailed over corruption in the program to buy oil from Saddam Hussein's Iraq. (Reuters) |
Lawyers fight over Wyatt's address book | |
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Martin has private UN meeting with Annan UNITED NATIONS - After a vacation in Europe, former prime minister Paul Martin met privately yesterday with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan -- a day before the UN chief unveils major proposal for a management shakeup at the organization. (Ottawa Citizen) Martin's secret agenda agent Judge denies bail for Tongsun Park Tongsun Park allowed on flight at Canadian airport Strong neck deep in suspect money trail Korean arrested over oil-for-food Tongsun Park guilty in UN oil-for-food program |
Chairman Mo resurfaces to blow horn Strong: Didn't know the "money was from Iraq" The U.N. Money for Smog Program Time to say ‘So Long’ to the UT Strong evidence for an investigation UN investigator claims Annan lied about son's role Documents show peril Annan faced in scandal Report of HIRC's findings on UN Oil-for-Food The systemic failure of the UN .pdf reports. No better place to hide than China His gray eminence Maurice Strong China 'Coal Man' Strong back on radar screen Investigation of Maurice Strong's role in scandal | |
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Memo suggests Annan Oil-for-food link UN - The committee probing the UN oil-for-food program announced Tuesday it will again investigate Secretary-General Kofi Annan after two e-mails suggested he may have known more than he claimed about a multimillion-dollar UN contract awarded to the company that employed his son. (CTV) Two e-mails contradict Annan on Oil-for-Food United in greed, divided it falls UN Deputy gets share of blame in Oil-for-Food report Members split on UN management overhaul |
Iraq set aside $15M to bribe UN leader UN's spreading bribery scandal Oil-for-food probe strongly critical of Annan Corruption at the heart of the UN Former oil-for-food chief accused of kickbacks Oil-for-food chief 'took bribes' Ex-UN official admits taking bribes Volcker gives new oil-for-food report Independent Inquiry Committee Report Third Interim Report .pdf | |
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Europeans accused in Iraq report NEW YORK - A U.S. Senate committee probing the defunct U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq alleges that two politicians from Britain and France received millions of dollars worth of oil allocations from Saddam Hussein's regime. (CNN) MORE: Senate Subcommittee Report .pdf |
The tangled web of UN Cronyism UN Procurement Official resigns Fired UN official seen as fall guy Wheat Board demands retraction from MP | |
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Maurice Strong resurfaces in China "Chairman Mo' trades North Korea for China Ex-N.Korea envoy 'broke UN rules' UN probe chief denies conflict of interest 'The Maustro' admits connection to 'Koreagate man' |
DA pursuing criminal probe of aide at UN Judge blocks ex-prober from giving oil-for-food docs to Congress Oil-for-Food investigator quit on principle Saddam invested $1M in Martin-owned Cordex | |
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Former UN oil-for-food chief indicted NEW YORK - Former U.N. Oil-for-Food chief Benon Sevan has been indicted in New York federal court for allegedly taking bribes under the program from Saddam Hussein's regime. (Fox) While Annan was ignoring Zimbabwe, his son was building the airport |
Oil-for-Food: It's all relative A gem laid out in Paul Volcker’s tabled Interim Report: Director of the discredited Oil-for-Food Program Benon Sevan, helped steer oil contracts to a relative of former UN Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Ghali. (Canadian Free Press) | |
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Annan says right body harming UN UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused the UN Human Rights Commission of failing to uphold human rights and said a new, permanent body is needed. (BBC) World's Worst Regimes Revealed Most repressive societies 2005 .pdf Report: Annan didn't influence contract Annan's #2 blocks Oil-for-Food scrutiny Annan to discipline two oil-for-food officials Annan orders disciplinary action after report |
Volcker panel to correct Frechette omission NEW YORK - It's well known that the Volcker commission's executive director, Reid Morden, and Louise Frechette have had a "longstanding professional relationship" for 30 years, according to the Independent Inquiry Committee. (Fox News) How Power Corp. found itself caught up in the biggest fiasco in UN history Paul Desmarais' Web of Influence over Canada Power Corp picking PM's in Canada Canada's PM, the UN Secretary-General and Louise Welcome to Hotel 'Congo-fornia' | |
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Volcker's business ties raise questions Yet another Paul Volcker potential conflict of interest Questions for Paul Volcker |
Oil-for-Food scandal: The French Connection The Oil-for-Food Scandal – the Canadian Connection The Power behind the thrones |
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Why the PM won't talk about human rights "With Jean Chretien's administration it was very difficult," says Mr. Samdup, president of the Canada Tibet Committee. "No matter how hard we tried, people said, 'you know what, Chretien is so connected with his family business interests, with the Desmarais and all of them, when it comes to China, you have no hope.' " (Ottawa Citizen) BACKGROUND: Chretien hooks up with shady Chinese firm Welcome to the Peoples' Republic of China on Canadian soil |
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UN audits show repeated Oil-for-Food woes NEW YORK - Audits of the troubled U.N. Oil-for-Food program show a systemic failure by the United Nations to adequately oversee the program, resulting in contractors overcharging millions of dollars. (Fox) |
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Key Findings Report .pdf WMD Report Vol. 1 .pdf WMD Report Vol. 2 .pdf WMD Report Vol. 3 .pdf |
UN chief reacts to son's payments Saddam bankrolled Palestinian terrorists The Saddam oil bribes: al-Mada list |
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Selected Web Pages | ||
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The Independent Inquiry Committee into the UN Oil-for-Food Programme |
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