UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations has begun a campaign to mend relations with the Bush administration and with congressional critics who have questioned Secretary General Kofi Annan's fitness to lead the organization after disclosures of sexual misconduct in U.N. peacekeeping missions and corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq.
Senior U.N. officials have begun courting some of the organization's fiercest congressional critics -- including Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), who has called for Annan's resignation -- while opening a search for a Republican representative in Washington to lobby on its behalf. In addition, the United Nations has undertaken the most extensive personnel changes since Annan became secretary general in 1997, forcing out several senior U.N. officials who have clashed with the United States or engaged in conduct that exposed the organization to criticism.
The changes are intended to assure the United States that Annan, whose son is the target of a U.N. probe into influence-peddling, is committed to overcoming a series of scandals involving his organization. But they also reflect a belief by the United Nations that it must respond to U.S. demands for greater accountability and transparency.
"Getting the relationship repaired is key," said Mark Malloch Brown, the world body's new chief of staff, who visited Coleman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's permanent subcommittee on investigations, and other Republican leaders this month. "I cannot think of a time in the U.N.'s 60-year life when the organization has prospered and done well that it hasn't rested on a strong, effective relationship" with the United States.
Malloch Brown said the United Nations is not "pandering to the United States," but making "a strategic effort to identify what we have in common with Washington and work to celebrate that to really maximize it."
Republican lawmakers say that they appreciate his efforts, but that they want the United Nations to cooperate more fully with congressional investigations into possible wrongdoing. They note that the United Nations has refused to allow its personnel to testify under oath, although the organization has offered to allow U.N. auditors to provide background briefings to staffers representing the five congressional committees investigating the $64 billion oil-for-food program, which ran from 1996 to 2003.
"A charm offensive isn't what's going to win the day," said Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on national security, emerging threats and international relations, who met with Malloch Brown. "The message we gave him is that the secretary general needs to be a much more decisive leader if he wants to regain the respect of a lot of people in Washington."
Some congressional aides said they could not rule out a push by some legislators to withhold funding from the United Nations even if it complies. They noted that Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), who has scheduled a hearing Tuesday on alleged sexual abuse in U.N. peacekeeping missions, has introduced legislation that would require the State Department to certify that "safeguards" are in place to prevent such abuses before funding for such missions is authorized.
Annan tapped Malloch Brown, administrator of the U.N. Development Program since 1999, in part to shore up the organization's standing in Washington. The former public relations executive replaced Iqbal Riza, a Pakistani diplomat who frequently differed with the United States.
Since Malloch Brown arrived, some of Annan's most loyal advisers, including chief spokesman Fred Eckhard and senior adviser Elizabeth Lindenmayer, have offered to resign to make way for the new team.
Catherine Bertini, who oversees the U.N. department of management; Dileep Nair, head of the internal investigations unit; and comptroller Jean-Pierre Halbwachs will also step down.
Other senior U.N. officials have been forced out or denied new posts because of opposition from Washington.
The name of Annan's top political adviser, Kieran Prendergast of Britain, was removed from a list of candidates to be the organization's top Middle East envoy because of resistance from Washington, senior U.N. officials said. Prendergast had advised Annan to limit the United Nations' role in Iraq.
Last week, Malloch Brown persuaded Annan to reverse a controversial decision to permit the United Nations' top refugee official, Ruud Lubbers, to serve out his term despite allegations of sexual misconduct. The former Dutch prime minister stepped down this week after Annan and Malloch Brown informed him they would try to fire him if he did not resign.
