United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan lost his usual cool and castigated the press for carrying 'unfair' and 'unconfirmed' reports circulated by people with 'agendas' about his and his son's role in the now defunct oil-for-food programme.
A remark by James Bone of The Times, London -- 'Your version of events don't really make sense' -- provoked Annan.
"I think you're being very cheeky. Listen James Bone, you have been behaving like an overgrown schoolboy in this room for many, many months and years. You are an embarrassment to your colleagues and to your profession. Please stop misbehaving and please let's move on to a serious subject," he said and moved on to the next question.
Bone had asked Annan about a Mercedes car allegedly bought by his son Kojo using his name.
He had asked, "The Volcker (Committee) report says that the Mercedes was bought in your name, so as the owner of the car, can you tell us what happened to it and where it is now?
"Now, my question is that, it's true that we missed a lot of stories in the oil-for-food scandal, and the UN hasn't made it easy. And even your answer on the Mercedes so far hasn't made it easy. Some of your own stories, your own version of events, don't really make sense. I'd like to ask you particularly "
That's when Annan cut him short and said, "I think you are being very cheeky here."
"Well, let me sir, let me ask my question," the correspondent replied.
"No, hold on. Hold on," Annan said and then went to add that he was an embarrassment to his colleagues.
The correspondent had been repeatedly asking the same question at press briefings.
UN spokespersons too had repeatedly said that the question should be addressed to Kojo Annan or his lawyers whose names the UN has given.
Recently, a spokesman did not even reply to his question and just moved on.
Answering a similar question earlier in his year-end press conference, Annan had said he was neither Kojo's spokesman nor his lawyer and the question should be addressed to them.
Annan also accused Bone and a few others of mistreating and insulting the spokespersons who, the Secretary-General said, are professionals.
At the end of the press conference on Wednesday, President of the United Nations Correspondents Association James Wurst said he wanted to put on record that James Bone was not an 'embarrassment' and he had a right to ask question.
Annan replied, "I agree with you: he has a right to ask questions, and I came here to answer questions. But I think we also have to understand that we have to treat each other with some respect.
"You can ask questions, there are ways of asking questions and ways not to ask questions. We also know, I am not the only one, you know what has been going on in this room.
"You know how my spokesmen have been badgered, mistreated, insulted. They have been professional. They have stood there and taken it.
"You have the right to ask all questions you want to ask. I reserve the right to refuse to answer questions I don't want to answer. But there is a certain behaviour and a certain mutual respect which we have to respect," the Secretary-General added.
