The Democratic Alliance yesterday asked whether the government's opposition to the Anglo-US invasion of Iraq last year was really out of concern for the future of the United Nations and a multilateral world system - or whether funding for the governing party played a role.

Reacting to an article in Friday's Mail & Guardian newspaper, DA spokesperson Raenette Taljaard asked whether South Africa's position was based on sound considerations or "whether a crude form of oil-for-diplomatic support and possible financial benefit for the ruling party trumped all other considerations".

The DA also called on Zuma to answer parliamentary questions it had submitted on the issue and said those mentioned in the list of 270 companies, individuals and governments that allegedly received oil allocations from Saddam Hussein's regime had to co-operate with the investigation of the matter announced by the Iraqi Governing Council.

"These allegations have raised serious questions about South Africa's foreign policy towards the former Hussein-regime and the motivations behind the high profile visits of Tariq Aziz, former foreign minister of Iraq, to South Africa in July 2002, and the return visit by deputy foreign affairs minister Aziz Pahad to Saddam Hussein's Iraq in September 2002," Taljaard said.

"Minister Zuma owes South Africa and the world answers ... South Africa's foreign policy cannot and must never be seen to be for sale to the highest bidder.

"The Iraqi Governing Council has reportedly instructed the oil ministry to probe the recent allegations and indicated that it will seek further information from governments and those mentioned and that it would enlist the assistance of Interpol and local law enforcement agencies in this process," a DA statement read. – Sapa.