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Aziz denies naming British MP in oil probe
Former Iraqi deputy prime minister Tareq Aziz has denied telling
investigators that a maverick British lawmaker personally profited
from the United Nations' oil-for-food program for Iraq.
By Reuters
10/30/05 "ABC" -- -- US congressional investigators said this week
they had evidence that George Galloway had profited from the defunct
UN program created to protect Iraqis from the harsh effects of
sanctions against their Government.
The report said Mr Aziz, under questioning by the subcommittee, said
he had discussed oil allocations with Mr Galloway and confirmed a
letter in which the British Member of Parliament requested a bigger
oil allocation.
"These are lies ... he [Mr Aziz] denied this," Mr Aziz's lawyer,
Badia Aref, said.
"It is part of a media campaign aimed at smearing Galloway's
reputation."
Mr Aref says Mr Aziz confirms that Iraq has given $A60,00 to the
Mariam Appeal cancer charity set up by Mr Galloway, but only to help
sick Iraqi children.
He says Mr Aziz, now in jail in Iraq, had made the comments in a
questioning session some three months ago during which Mr Aziz was
asked 110 questions about Mr Galloway.
The report said Mr Galloway personally solicited and was granted oil
allocations from the Iraqi Government for 23 million barrels from
1999 to 2003.
It said Mr Galloway's wife received about $A200,000 in connection
with the allocations and the Mariam fund received at least
$A595,000.
Mr Galloway himself told the committee that he was not an oil trader
and had never spoken to Mr Aziz about Iraq providing financial
support for the Mariam Appeal.
He has also rejected the latest US accusations that he profited from
the oil-for-food program.
Mr Aref says Mr Aziz refuses to "testify against anyone, including
former president Saddam Hussein", whose trial started this month but
has been adjourned until November.
Mr Aziz, a Christian who was the public face of Saddam's regime
abroad, was arrested after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
No formal charges have been brought against him yet.
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