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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

26 November 2002

U.S. Wants Iraqi Import List Expanded

(Negroponte says more dual use items need to be on goods review list)
(380)
By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council November 25 adopted a
resolution providing for a ten-day extension of the current
oil-for-food program for Iraq in order to allow time for negotiations
on expanding the list of goods that are subject to review by the U.N.
Sanctions Committee.
The United States is pressing to add more dual use items to the goods
review list before the oil-for-food program is authorized for another
six-month term.
"The United States has long supported the humanitarian program for
Iraq under the oil-for-food program. We continue to do so," U.S.
Ambassador John Negroponte said after the council meeting.
"What we are advocating is that there be a ... prompt review of the
goods review list to tighten it up to ensure that it is not exploited
or utilized in any way by the Government of Iraq to import items for
military purpose under civilian guise," the ambassador said.
"We have nothing against the humanitarian program and once we have
reached agreement on a modified goods review list, we would be
prepared to see approval of the oil-for-food program approved on a
normal basis," he said.
"The issue that we raised before the council in the past couple of
days was that there were some items ... that we felt did not
necessarily have a benign, or purely civilian or humanitarian
purpose," Negroponte said.
"We are concerned that this list be improved to address some of the
kinds of items that we have seen the Government of Iraq trying to
import of late," he said.
A recent example was a request for automatic injectors for atropine
chemicals, which have no possible civilian use and could only be used
in a chemical warfare situation, Negroponte said. The injectors were
not on the goods review list. Other items were militarily significant
quantities of atropine, global positioning system jammers, and radio
intercept and direction finding equipment.
"So we feel that even though the goods review list is long and
detailed, there are areas where it can, and must, be strengthened," he
said.
Under the oil-for-food program revised earlier this year, humanitarian
goods do not need review by the Sanctions Committee review. Iraqi
contracts for items that could have either civilian or military use --
often referred to as "dual use" items -- must be screened by the
committee.
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)



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