NEW YORK, June 20: Efforts to remove UN Secretary General Kofi Annan could undermine crucial reform process at the United Nations, the co-chairmen of a US panel which in a report called for radical management reforms at the world body, said on Sunday. Gingrich, a Republican, and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, a Democrat, also said on ‘Fox News Sunday’ they disagreed with a bill passed by the House last week that would make US payment of its UN dues conditional on reforms at the global body.

“I don’t think it will work,” Mr Mitchell said.

While saying that ‘I think he (Annan) is part of the problem,” Mr Gingrich cautioned, “but I think trying to focus on him would, frankly, lead to a political fight inside the UN that wouldn’t get you very far; whereas focusing on the reforms may actually get very substantial change’.

He also said targeting Mr Annan would ‘deter and detract’ from the reform effort, which at any rate would take far longer than the remaining 18 months of Mr Annan’s term.

“The focus should be on institutional reforms,” he said.

Mr Gingrich and Mr Mitchell were co-chairmen of a congressional task force that last week issued a sharply critical report that recommended dozens of ways to improve the UN’s effectiveness.

The report followed reports of innumerable scandals at the United Nations, from sex abuse by peacekeepers to allegations of corruption in the Iraq oil-for-food programme.

The panel criticized the United Nations as lacking oversight and accountability and urged reforms.