ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:97090902.NNE
DATE:09/09/97
TITLE:09-09-97 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERING IRAQI OIL SALE EXTENSION
TEXT:
("Technical fix" intended to help humanitarian programs) (520)
By Judy Aita
USIA United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- Britain, France and the United States on September 9
presented a draft resolution to the Security Council that would give
Iraq more time to sell oil to purchase humanitarian supplies.
The move by the three governments was prompted by concern over the
impact Baghdad's decision not to sell oil in June and July would have
on needy Iraqi civilians dependent on humanitarian supplies the oil
profits provide.
The resolution "deals with the technical problem that arose by virtue
of the fact that Iraq decided not to sell any oil for a couple of
months" after the Security Council renewed the oil-for-food program in
June 1997, said British Ambassador Sir John Weston.
Calling it a "technical fix," the ambassador explained that the draft
would extend the first oil sale period of 90 days to 120 days to
provide extra time for Iraq to sell the first $1,000 million worth of
oil and shorten the second three-month period to two months.
"So that we end up with the same terminal date in December for the
ending of the 180-day period over which a total of ($2,000 million)
worth can have been sold by Iraq," he said.
"The purpose of this resolution is to enable humanitarian goods to be
brought to those in need throughout Iraq," Sir John said.
U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson said that the United States is
supporting the British text because "we believe that the rationale is
humanitarian and that is a solid one."
The draft resolution takes note of the Iraqi Government's decision not
to sell oil for two months and expresses concern about the
humanitarian consequences of that decision.
In a written report to the council on the oil-sale scheme, Secretary
General Kofi Annan said that "owing to the delayed resumption in the
sales of petroleum, it appears that the total revenue generated for
the first 90-day period will be about $5000 million below the 90-day
objective of ($1,007 million including the pipeline fee) if current
prices remain unchanged."
"In view of the adverse consequences for the humanitarian program and
the United Nations capacity to carry out its observation and
implementation responsibilities, the council may wish to consider an
appropriate mechanism for the shortfall to be met," Annan said.
As of August 31, a cumulative total of 1,831,101 tons had reached Iraq
and 1,516,378 tons had been distributed to governorates. But the
secretary general also said he was concerned about the adverse impact
of delay in the arrival of humanitarian goods on Iraqi civilians.
On June 4 the council approved the extension of the "oil-for food"
plan which allows Iraq to sell $2,000 million of crude oil over a
period of six months under strict U.N. supervision in order to buy
needed food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies for Iraqi
civilians affected by the seven-year-old economic embargo.
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