Ban shocked by charges against ex-General Assembly chief

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was shocked by allegations that John Ashe, a former president of the United Nations General Assembly, took more than $1.3 million in bribes, Ban's spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"The secretary general was shocked and deeply troubled to learn this morning of the allegations against John Ashe, the former president of the General Assembly, which go to the heart of the integrity of the United Nations," Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

"Corruption is not business as usual at he UN," he said, adding that if the UN secretariat is contacted by US authorities, it will co-operate with them.

Ashe, the former UN ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda, was assembly president in 2013-2014.