Diplomats from several countries have expressed support for the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, after a call for his resignation over the UN role in the Iraq Oil-for-Food programme.
An influential US Senator, Norm Coleman, who is chairing a Senate committee investigating corruption in the programme, said that Mr Annan should step down.
Mr Coleman alleges the scheme allowed the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, to amass a personal fortune of more than $20 billion and that Mr Annan was ultimately responsible.
But a UN spokesman, Fred Eckhardt, said it was too early to apportion blame while the UN was carrying out its own investigation.
Mr Eckhardt said he expected Mr Annan to serve out his term in office.
