Times Reporter Feels Kofi Annan's Wrath

UN secretary general Kofi Annan has launched an extraordinary outburst against the Times' New York correspondent, James Bone, branding him an "overgrown schoolboy".

Mr Annan rounded on Bone during an end-of-year press conference, after the Times man questioned him on reports about his son, Kojo.

"I think you're being very cheeky. Listen James Bone, you've been behaving like an overgrown schoolboy in this room for many, many months and years," the UN secretary general said.

"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 added.

The UN head's outburst followed a series of questions over his part in the Iraq oil-for-food scandal.

Mr Annan accused journalists of missing stories about the programme, which he said had sometimes been covered through "deliberate leaks" that were "fed by people with agendas".

Bone conceded journalists had missed the stories, but said the UN hadn't "made it easy" for them to discover the truth about this, or about allegations that Mr Annan's son Kojo had imported a Mercedes-Benz car into Ghana using his father's diplomatic status to avoid taxes.

"Your version of events doesn't really make sense," he said - a remark that appears to have been the final straw for the embattled Mr Annan.

The president of the UN Correspondents Association defended Bone, saying he had a right to ask a question.

Mr Annan said that he agreed, but added: "I think we also have to understand that we have to treat each other with respect."

A Times spokeswoman said: "Our reporter was being a reporter, and press conferences are usually forums for asking questions."