DATE=11/23/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQ OIL / SANCTIONS (L)
NUMBER=2-256473
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The government of Iraq has decided to stop
exporting oil to underscore its rejection of the
recently extended U-N oil-for-food program. Iraqi
officials say the oil would stop as soon as the last
tankers are loaded at the southern port of Mina al-
Bakr. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our
Middle East Bureau.
TEXT: Iraq decided to curtail its participation in
the oil-for-food program to protest the unwillingness
of the U-N Security Council to end economic sanctions
that have been in place since before the Gulf War.
Senior Iraqi officials said Iraq is completing its
commitments, but indicated further cooperation with
the program was in doubt.
Iraqi Oil Minister Amer Mohamed Rasheed called a stop-
gap extension of the program an attempt by the U-S
government to blackmail other Security Council members
into maintaining the sanctions indefinitely.
The latest phase of the oil-for-food program expired
three-days ago, but the Security Council extended it
for two-weeks as it seeks agreement on a new plan.
Most members want to ease the sanctions, but they
disagree on whether to continue to link them to a
resumption of Iraqi weapons monitoring. Iraq rejects
any new weapons monitoring, saying it has eliminated
all its weapons of mass destruction.
Iraqi newspapers called a draft compromise before the
Security Council the equivalent of a declaration of
war. The "al-Iraq" newspaper said Iraq cannot accept
a continuation of the sanctions.
U-N officials say two-billion dollars worth of
supplies have yet to be delivered under the latest
phase of the oil-for-food program and another two-
billion-dollars has yet to be spent. As a result,
they say they do not plan to end the humanitarian
mission to Iraq.
Although U-N weapons monitors were withdrawn nearly
one-year ago, hundreds of members of the U-N
humanitarian program continue to work in Iraq in a
sometimes uneasy relationship with the government.
The Iraqi government has not indicated it intends to
end the U-N humanitarian mission. But observers say
an extended rejection of the oil-for-food program that
finances the mission could have serious effects in the
months to come. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH/RAE
23-Nov-1999 11:05 AM EDT (23-Nov-1999 1605 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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