WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States said Friday it will continue to work with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan despite the scandal over the oil-for-food program.

    "We believe that we will continue to work with the secretary general and we are confident that he will support the kinds of reforms that are needed to try and make sure that this sort of thing does not happen again," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

    Rice made the remarks after a report on the scandal over the oil-for-food program for Iraq said that the United Nations needs an overhaul. An independent panel has cleared the UN chief of any wrongdoing but faulted on the administrative failings and corruption in the oil-for-food program.

    The oil-for-food program, in effect when Iraq was under UN sanctions, allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy basic necessities. The United States has accused a number of UN officials of profiting from the humanitarian program. Enditem