report on programme manipulation - Independent Inquiry Committee

INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME
REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION
CHAPTER TWO
OIL TRANSACTIONS AND ILLICIT PAYMENTS
1. Background
Mr. Munier has been Secretary-General of AFI since 1986. The group opposed military action
against Iraq prior to the Gulf War and later advocated for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq. 133
As early as June 1996, one month after the Memorandum of Understanding for the Oil-for-Food
Programme was concluded, Mr. Munier led a delegation of representatives from French
businesses to Iraq where they met with various senior Iraqi officials, including Mr. Aziz. Mr.
Munier’s work against the sanctions regime continued throughout the Programme. 134
2. Oil Allocations
Between Phases V and XIII, Mr. Munier received eight allocations totaling 11.8 million barrels
oil. 135 According to Iraqi officials, Mr. Munier received oil allocations because of his pro-Iraq
133 Gilles Munier interview (Sept. 23, 2005); “French Peace Activists to Keep Tabs on Iraq Arms
Inspections,” Agence France Presse, Jan. 11, 2003; Michel Zlotowski, “French Defense Minister Accused
of Link with Iraq,” The Jerusalem Post, Aug. 26, 1990, p. 2; see also AFI, “Historique,”
http://amiraq.free.fr/historique/story_01.html; AFI, “La Bataille pour la levée de l’embargo,”
http://amiraq.free.fr/historique/bataille.html; Rone Tempest, “Europeans Have Much to Lose in the Gulf
Puzzle,” Los Angeles Times, Sept. 4, 1990, p. 1. In 1990, he led a private French delegation that was
credited with securing the release of nine French hostages. Abdul Jalil Mustafa, “Nine Frenchmen Held
Hostage in Iraq Arrive in Amman,” Associated Press, Oct. 3, 1990; William Drozdiak, “Iraq Orders 9
French Hostages Released,” San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 2, 1990, p. A15. Mr. Munier stayed in
Baghdad for two weeks, working to convince the Iraqi government of the strength of pro-Arab support in
France. Robert Cottrell, “French President Arrives in UAE Hoping to Secure Hostage Release,” The
Independent, Oct. 4, 1990. Mr. Munier <strong>report</strong>edly described Saddam Hussein’s release of the prisoners as a
“message of peace from Iraq,” and urged France to relax its policy towards Iraq. “Nine Frenchmen Freed
by Saddam Arrive in Jordan,” Reuters News, Oct. 3, 1990; Abdul Jalil Mustafa, “Nine Frenchmen Held
Hostage in Iraq Arrive in Amman,” Associated Press, Oct. 3, 1990. In the mid-1990s, Mr. Munier began
coordinating an anti-sanctions conference in Baghdad. Mr. Munier continued to lead these conferences in
Iraq every six months throughout the Programme. Gilles Munier interview (Sept. 23, 2005).
134 “French Businessmen Discuss Exports to Iraq,” Agence France Presse, June 8, 1996; “Iraqi oil minister
holds talks in France,” Agence France Presse, June 9, 1996 (after their meetings, in an interview with
Agence France Presse, Mr. Rashid stated, “Friendly countries which supported us, like France and Russia,
will certainly take priority when it comes to signing contracts”); Gilles Munier interview (Sept. 23, 2005)
(describing his work in Iraq since the mid-1970s and stating that very few people besides himself are
coming to the defense of Iraq these days and that many of those people on the allocation lists have “turned
their backs on Baghdad”) (translated from French). Mr. Munier stated that he was not involved with
companies engaged in importing humanitarian goods to Iraq during the Programme. After the Programme
terminated, he advised an ambulance company on conducting business in Iraq and, in return, the company
agreed to provide financial assistance to AFI, in particular, for the publication of an illustrated book of Iraqi
history. Gilles Munier interview (Sept. 23, 2005).
135 Tariq Aziz interview (Mar. 1, 2005); Iraq official interview; SOMO letters to Amer Rashid (Mar. 2,
1999) (approving contract M/05/66 for 1.8 million barrels of oil for Aredio “(Iraqi-French Friendship
Society)”), (June 12, 1999) (approving contract M/06/69 for 1.8 million barrels of oil for Aredio “(Iraqi-
French Friendship Society)”), (Dec. 21, 1999) (approving contract M/07/40 for 1.2 million barrels of oil for
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