UN's 661 Committee Never Saw the OIO Audits of the Oil For Food Program

The UN Spokesman stated February 24th that the Secretariat had never turned over to the 661 Committee any of the Oil For Food Audit Reports prepared by the Office of Internal Oversight. The 661 Committee, composed of Security Council Members, was the body responsible for administering and overseeing the sanctions on Iraq. The group also was charged with setting out Oil for Food policies and procedures, and for approving Iraqi oil contracts and the sale of humanitarian goods to Iraq. What is troubling is that the 661 Committee, and its members, long knew of the abuses taking place under the Oil for Food program and apparently expressed no interest in receiving and reviewing these audit reports.