U.N. Suspends 2 in ‘Oil-for-Food’ Probe

UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General Kofi Annan has suspended the head of the U.N.’s Iraqi “oil-for-food” program and a senior official who dealt with the program’s contracts after an independent inquiry accused them of misconduct, a U.N. spokesman said Monday.

Benon V. Sevan, who was in charge of the $64-billion humanitarian program, and Joseph Stephanides, head of the U.N. Security Council Affairs Division, were informed Friday that they had been suspended with pay, spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

“Suspension is the beginning of a disciplinary process,” Eckhard said.

“It means that they should not come onto the premises here unless it’s in connection with summoning their defense, which they have 14 days to present in writing.”

After Sevan and Stephanides respond to the charges, the U.N. Secretariat, headed by Annan, will make a final decision on punishment.

Eckhard said there were three options: The cases could be closed, Annan could dismiss them, or the matter could be referred to the Joint Disciplinary Committee.

Sevan and Stephanides are entitled to two appeals; the process can take months.

The inquiry that prompted the disciplinary action was commissioned by Annan and is being led by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul A. Volcker.