DATE=3/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N IRAQ OIL (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260811
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council
(today/Friday) has approved a resolution authorizing
sanction-burdened Iraq to double the amount it can
spend for oil industry equipment. VOA Correspondent
Breck Ardery reports from the United Nations.
TEXT: In a meeting lasting less than three minutes,
the Security Council unanimously approved the Iraq
resolution which was sponsored by the United States.
The resolution allows Iraq to double, from 300-
million dollars to 600-million dollars, the amount of
money it can spend on its oil industry every six
months.
Under the U-N oil-for-food program, Iraq is allowed to
sell an unlimited amount of oil to raise money for
food and other humanitarian supplies. However, a
recent report from U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan
noted that Iraq's oil industry is desperately in need
of spare parts and other equipment.
After the resolution was approved, Britain's U-N
ambassador Jeremy Greenstock told reporters he hopes
that increased spending on oil equipment in Iraq will
have the desired effect.
/// GREENSTOCK ACT ///
This will bring significant new revenue into the
oil-for-food program in Iraq and we hope the
Iraqi government will bring it straight to meet
the needs of the Iraqi people. Food, medicine
and agricultural supplies are badly needed and
are not getting through quickly enough.
/// END ACT ///
During a Security Council discussion of the Iraq
program last week, the United States charged that the
Iraqi government has been slow to distribute relief
supplies and, in some cases, even re-exported them.
However, some nations were critical of the United
States for blocking certain shipments to Iraq -
shipments the United States says contain items that
could be used for weapons or shipments for which there
is no information on what they contain. The United
States says it is streamlining its review program so
that shipments containing purely civilian items can
arrive sooner. (Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/JO
31-Mar-2000 12:27 PM EDT (31-Mar-2000 1727 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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