Following is a letter sent by the office of Benon V. Sevan to the senior vice president for Cotecna, one of the companies connected to the United Nation's oil-for-food program.
April 2, 2004
Mr. Andre Pruniaux
Cotecna
Geneva, Switzerland
Dear Mr. Pruniaux:
With the transfer of the Oil-for-Food Programme (the "Programme") to the Coalition Provisional Authority pursuant to Security Council resolution 1483 (2003) now having been completed, and in light of the Secretary General's proposal to establish an independent inquiry into certain aspects of the Programme, the UN may require access to records maintained by Cotecna in connection with its contracts with the United Nations. In this regard, we refer to Article 13.1 of the General Conditions to these contracts, which provides as follows: "All maps, drawings, photographs, mosaics, plans, reports, recommendations, estimates, documents and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under this Contract shall be the property of the United Nations, shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to United Nations authorized officials on completion of work under this Contract."
Accordingly, Cotecna should retain and safeguard all records relating to the services rendered by Cotecna pursuant to its contracts with the United Nations and be prepared to provide them to the United Nations promptly upon request.
Your cooperation with the foregoing is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Benon V. Sevan
Under Secretary General
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