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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - An inquiry cleared Australia's government of wrongdoing in an Iraqi oil-for-food scandal Monday, but recommended top officials of the monopoly wheat exporter face charges for paying more than $200 million to the Saddam Hussein regime.
Prime Minister John Howard promised the inquiry's key recommendations would be acted upon immediately and said the findings vindicated him and other top government officials who denied having prior knowledge of the kickbacks.
Howard's government launched the inquiry last year after an investigation by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker exposed the AWB — formerly the state-owned Australian Wheat Board — as the largest source of suspect payments under the oil-for-food program.
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