GEORGE CLOONEY - U.N. TO PROBE CLOONEY SECURITY CLAIMS

U.N. TO PROBE CLOONEY SECURITY CLAIMS

Officials at the United Nations (U.N.) are investigating accusations the organisation withdrew GEORGE CLOONEY's security escort as he travelled to a dangerous area of Africa.
The Hollywood star has been campaigning to highlight the plight of refugees in the Sudan with a series of visits to the country's war torn Darfur region.
Clooney - a U.N. goodwill ambassador - is currently visiting the African state of Chad with two journalists in an unofficial capacity, as part of his pledge to help publicise troubles in the area.
But New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof, who is documenting Clooney's travels, published a column in the paper on Wednesday (18Feb09), claiming the U.N. had decided to "pull" Clooney’s "security escort" as they traversed the eastern Chad border, leaving the group open to kidnap or attack.
Kristof called the move "petty and mean-spirited".
U.N. officials have now responded to the claims, insisting that, as Clooney is not travelling as part of his role as a goodwill ambassador, he does not qualify for official protection.
The organisation's spokeswoman, Michele Montas, cast further doubt on the report by claiming the U.N. mission in the West African country has no armed military police and relies on local police and a European Union peacekeeping force, EUFOR, for escorts.
She told a news conference, "We are still trying to ascertain the facts. The U.N. could not provide the sort of security details you are talking about.
"So it could be EUFOR. EUFOR has been advised of the presence of Mr. Clooney and they indicated that they would be prepared to provide Mr. Clooney with support if required within the area of its operations."