March 23, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 19, 1424

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NEW YORK, March 22: Iraq Ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammed Aldouri, on Friday accused UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan of violating the UN Charter by not denouncing the US-led invasion of his country and for withdrawing key UN personnel before the attack.

In a statement read to reporters, Mr Aldouri said he was particularly angry at Mr Annan’s proposals to the UN Security Council, which would put him in charge of a programme that used Iraq’s oil revenues to pay for food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies to needy civilians.

Mr Aldouri said Mr Annan was doing the bidding of the United States and Britain to put Iraq’s natural resources under “the control of the world American and Zionist oil mafia.”

“It is a flagrant material breach of international law, the UN Charter and the Security Council resolutions relevant to Iraq, all of which emphasise respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity,” he said.

Mr Annan’s office said he would not comment on Mr Aldouri’s criticism for now.

Mr Aldouri’s comments marked the first time Iraq has attacked Mr Annan personally, although the ambassador told reporters afterward his government was not angry with the Secretary-General but believed his “deplorable” actions were taken under pressure from the United States and Britain.