"Col. Sanders" at U.N. General Assembly

UNITED NATIONS – A week after the U.N. found itself embarrassed by the intrusion of an actor portraying Kentucky Fried Chicken founder, "Colonel" Harland Sanders, the world body has yet to fully explain just what exactly happened.

"They are looking for scapegoats," insisted one U.N. staffer familiar with the investigation, suggesting the U.N. was embarrassed on TV and in photos and is looking to blame two security officers who took the KFC entourage on what was supposed to be an innocent visitor's tour.

As WND reported, to kick off a new campaign to promote its grilled line of poultry, KFC's parent, Yum Brands Inc., last week decided to give away a lunch time meal of "UN-fried" chicken to U.N. staff.

A number of pushcarts lined up in a city park just across the street from U.N. headquarters to distribute the freebies. Heading the campaign was Bob Thompson, a dead-ringer for the colonel icon representing KFC.

Shortly after the lunch-time giveaways began, Thompson, dressed in the colonel's white suit and walking cane, was found strolling through U.N. headquarters with two armed U.N. security officers giving him a VIP tour.

The colonel made stops at the General Assembly podium, normally reserved for presidents, kings and queens. He also took a photo with GA President Ali Treki, then paid a brief visit to a press stakeout at the Security Council nearby.

As the group was posing at the Council stakeout, U.N. security's operations center saw the colonel on pool TV and made a dash to figure out just what was going on. Eventually, Thompson was escorted from the U.N. compound.

At first, the U.N. insisted that he was an "unauthorized" guest by a non-governmental organization they refused to identify. That explanation was curious, since NGOs don't normally bring guests into U.N. headquarters.

Then the U.N. began dropping hints that some unspecified legal action may be taken against Yum Brands and its public relations agency Weber-Shandwick.

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Yum fought back by insisting that Thompson was not only an invited guest at U.N. headquarters, but two U.N. security officers voluntarily offered to take him on a VIP tour of the complex.

U.N. officials did not contest Yum's later version of events and quietly confirmed rumors that an internal investigation had begun.

Then, late last week, the U.N. decided to suspend the two security officers for three months.

"They have been placed on administrative leave," said Farhan Haq, U.N. deputy spokesman.

WND has confirmed that the suspension was with full salary.

"They have been given a three-month vacation," grumbled several U.N. staffers.

A former U.N. staff union official told WND that suspension with pay is not unusual in cases when an internal investigation is ongoing.

But, WND has learned, the U.N. is keeping certain critical details of the incident quiet.

"Colonel" with General Assembly president

Though escorted by two U.N. security officers, Thompson and his mini-entourage were in fact screened like any tourists by U.N. security checkpoints at the visitors' entrance to headquarters. The mini-tour offered to the colonel only involved areas tourists normally visit.

Eyewitnesses to the event tell WND that when the colonel and company were touring the visitors' lobby, they encountered a family member of the GA president, who in turn personally invited the group to the second floor area reserved for diplomats.

That tour included a stop inside the General Assembly hall and a personal photo op with the GA president.

The issue the U.N. administration is said to be centering on is the latter, ad hoc walk over to the Security Council press stakeout, which was televised worldwide by UNTV.

That addition to the tour was said to be at the personal initiative of the two officers.

It is not clear whether they had the authority to offer the extended tour, but veteran U.N. security officers surveyed informally said they did have such discretion.

The U.N. administration is said to be trying to suppress the invitation to the diplomatic area, originally claiming that the meeting with the GA president was only "a chance encounter."

"You can't point fingers at the GA president," explained one staffer.

Repeated emails to UN spokeswoman Michelle Montas for an explanation were not answered.

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