PARIS, Oct. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- France's former ambassador at the UN Security Council Jean-Bernard Merimee was taken into custody Tuesday over the UN humanitarian aid "oil-for-food" program for Iraq, justice officials said.

    Merimee, 68, served as special adviser to UN secretary-general Kofi Annan on European issues between 1999 and 2002.

    The "oil-for-food" program, established by the UN in 1996 and terminated in 2003, was intended to allow Iraq to sell oil in exchange for food, medicine and other humanitarian needs of ordinary Iraqi citizens who were affected by international economic sanctions in the wake of the first Gulf War.

    Saddam Hussein is believed to have granted "vouchers" to individuals known to oppose sanctions against Iraq. These were then sold on for a mark-up to oil companies that were authorized to trade with Baghdad. Enditem