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28 March 2003

Modified Oil-For-Food Program Will Address Iraq's Immediate Needs

(Ambassador Negroponte welcomes the adoption of U.N.S.C. Res. 1472) (640)
The United States March 28 welcomed the decision of the United Nations
to modify its Oil-for-Food Program, which uses Iraq's oil revenues for
the purchase of medical supplies and food.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1472 will restart the program once
the situation on the ground in Iraq has stabilized.
Ambassador John Negroponte, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, said the passage of the resolution "helps address the
immediate needs of the people of Iraq."
Speaking to the Security Council, Negroponte said that once the
circumstances on the ground permit, the United States will help
facilitate the coordination between coalition military forces, and
United Nations and other associated relief staff to ensure supplies
and assistance are delivered to Iraq and distributed among the Iraqi
people.
"Today's vote will translate into concrete results on the ground. We
welcome that. The people of Iraq have suffered too long, under
circumstances not of their own choosing and under a regime whose days
are numbered," said Negroponte.
Following is the text of Negroponte's remarks to the Security Council:
(begin text)
Explanation of Vote by Ambassador John D. Negroponte, United States
Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on Resolution 1472, on
the Oil-for-Food-Program, before the Security Council, March 28, 2003
-----------
Thank you, Mr. President and thank you Secretary-General for your
presence here this morning and for the initiative you took in
proposing that we work on this resolution.
I think that today's Security Council vote modifying the Oil-for-Food
Program marks an important step, which the United States has favored
from the moment that the United Nations personnel were withdrawn and
the program was suspended. We join others in welcoming the strong show
of support by Council members for this resolution, which helps address
the immediate needs of the people of Iraq. We would also like to thank
the German delegation, led by Ambassador Pleuger, for the leadership
that they have shown in the negotiations over the past week, which
have led to the achievement of this resolution. And last but certainly
not least, we have benefited immensely from the advice and counsel of
Mr. Benon Sevan, the director of the Office of Iraq Program, who has
been with us throughout this process and we thank him very much for
that.
We have full confidence that the Secretary-General and the UN's Office
of the Iraq Program will effectively carry out the important task of
resuming the program in the weeks ahead. For its part, the United
States will facilitate the necessary coordination on the ground in
Iraq between coalition authorities and the United Nations and
associated relief agency staff as Oil-for-Food supplies and other
humanitarian assistance arrive and are distributed, as circumstances
on the ground permit.
The resumption of the Oil-for-Food Program complements extensive
United States efforts to address the humanitarian needs of the people
of Iraq. Humanitarian aid from a variety of sources is already
beginning to arrive. The International Committee of the Red Cross and
the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies are on the ground and providing humanitarian assistance. Our
own bilateral humanitarian aid commitments will remain robust and long
term. We urge all governments and donors to contribute generously in
this effort.
The United States is gratified that the Council has been able to come
together to take this step to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of
the people of Iraq. Today's vote will translate into concrete results
on the ground. We welcome that. The people of Iraq have suffered too
long, under circumstances not of their own choosing and under a regime
whose days are numbered.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)