After awarding Kofi Annan a $500,000 Dubai Prize, a German is given top post at UN. The New York Sun reports the awful details.

United Nations officials yesterday were adamant that no exchange of favors was involved in awarding an appointment to a top Turtle Bay position to a man who had just bestowed on Secretary—General Annan an international prize worth a half—million dollars.

"None whatsoever," the U.N. spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told The New York Sun when asked about any possible connection between the March 15 naming of Achim Steiner to head the U.N. Environmental Program, and the fact that Mr. Steiner was a top judge on a panel that last December awarded Mr. Annan with Dubai's Zayed Prize for Global Environmental Leadership.

"Mr. Steiner is a first rate environmental specialist and someone we are lucky to have at the head of UDEP," Mr. Dujarric said. He acknowledged, however, that Mr. Steiner's name had been added to the list of candidates for the top job at the U.N. environmental unit after the $500,000 Dubai prize was awarded to Mr. Annan. [emphasis added]

Ed Lasky   5 01 06