home
about us
news room
global priorities
regional pages
policy and research
tools
publications
download newsletter in pdf-format
By Kate Sturgess
|
| Transparence France has sent a letter to Philippe Douste-Blazy, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressing TI’s concern about alleged embezzlement in the UN Oil-for-Food Programme. The letter follows passage by TI’s Annual Membership Meeting of a resolution calling for retention of all records related to the Independent Inquiry Committee, led by Paul Volcker, into the programme. |
An interview in Le Monde with chapter president Daniel Lebègue stressed the need for an adequate response from the French Government to the serious issues raised in the inquiry.
The Minister’s response underlined the French authorities’ resolve to launch prosecutions as a result of the inquiry and recalled that France supported retention of the records to make them available for prosecutors. France seems to be standing by this pledge. Recently, French investigating judge Philippe Courroye sent portions of the Volcker report and other documents to Paris prosecutors, allowing them to start an investigation into French companies suspected of corruption in the programme. Of the more than 2,200 companies from 40 countries listed in the Volcker report, 172 were French.
While France is the first European country to see such results, other TI national chapters have been following up with their respective authorities. For further information or to exchange information, please contact TI France at transparence@online.fr.