EU invites UN's Annan to summit to show support

The European Union has invited Kofi Annan as a special guest to its summit on Friday to demonstrate support for the UN secretary-general amid a campaign in the United States to force him out.

A Dutch EU presidency spokesman confirmed the 25-nation bloc's invitation but declined comment on the political message.

However an EU diplomat said: "The intention is for the EU as a whole to give clear public support to the secretary-general."

The surprise move was decided after the head of a US congressional panel investigating alleged corruption in the United Nations oil-for-food programme in Iraq, Republican Senator Norman Coleman, last week called for Mr Annan to resign.

The Bush administration broke its silence on Thursday to express confidence in Mr Annan and say he should stay in office, in a belated rebuff to demands from Republicans in Congress for his resignation.

The Republicans accuse Mr Annan of presiding over corruption in the programme under which Iraq was allowed to import food and medicines and sell oil under UN supervision in an exception to economic sanctions imposed on former president Saddam Hussein.

After Coleman's statement, President George W. Bush pointedly refused to defend Annan, saying he wanted a "full and open accounting" for the now-defunct programme launched in 1996. In reaction, the 191-member UN General Assembly gave Annan a standing ovation on Wednesday and leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Australia telephoned him to voice support.