United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the war in Iraq has not made the world any safer.
Mr. Annan has told British television, ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby program, that considering the "violence," "terrorist attacks around the world," and the situation in Iraq, the international community has "a lot of work to do" to make the world safer.
On another issue, Mr. Annan rejected claims in a recent report prepared by the U.S. chief weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, that Saddam Hussein offered bribes and oil contracts to officials from foreign countries to have international sanctions lifted against Baghdad. France, Russia and China were among the countries named.
Mr. Annan said such activity as "inconceivable." He said those countries have "serious" governments, and are not "banana republics."
Some information for this report provided by Reuters.