UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today ruled out resigning over the Iraq oil-for-food scandal that is clouding his organisation's global prestige.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Annan also said he still saw a role for the United Nations in Iraq despite his opposition to the US-British invasion and occupation.
"Resignation is not on the cards for me at the moment," Mr Annan said of the inquiry into alleged abuses of the oil-for-food programme that has led to the suspension of its former director.
UN members understood the complex nature of the investigation and backed him, Mr Annan said. "I'm carrying on with my work - with their full support, by the way."
The United Nations has suspended ex-programme head Mr Benon Sevan, and Mr Joseph Stephanides, who helped set it up in 1996, pending a probe into the scheme allowing former dictator Saddam Hussein to sell oil despite sanctions to fund food for Iraqis.
Mr Sevan has been accused of steering an Iraq oil allocation to a cousin of Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was UN secretary-general from 1991 to 1996.
Mr Stephanides, who like Mr Sevan is a Cypriot, is alleged to have colluded with a UK envoy to steer a major contract improperly to a British company. Both officials have denied wrongdoing.
Mr Annan also ruled out UN peacekeeping troops in Iraq. But he said there was far more the body could do helping build institutions, train government officials and support reconstruction. "It does imply ability to be able to move around very freely and get the job done," he said, noting the dire security situation.