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US and Russia at odds over lifting Iraq sanctions
United Nations, May 08: Washington unilaterally lifted some of its economic sanctions against Iraq and pressed its demand for the United Nations to likewise lift penalties against Baghdad.
United Nations, May 08: Washington unilaterally lifted some of its economic sanctions against Iraq and pressed its demand for the United Nations to likewise lift penalties
against Baghdad.
A senior Russian official said, however, Moscow only
wants a suspension of the embargoes on food and medicine.
As Washington prepared to put a draft resolution on Iraq to UN Security Council, the opposing views set the stage for a possible replay of the battle within the Council over US-led war against Iraq, though with a somewhat different lineup.
Washington said it lifted some of its sanctions in order to help efforts to rebuild the country and provide humanitarian aid.
But Russia and France, which both opposed the war in Iraq and had lucrative contracts with Saddam Hussein's government, are in no rush to end the oil-for-food program.
The oil-for-food program had been feeding 90 percent of Iraq's 24 million people before it was halted prior to the US-led invasion of Iraq on March 20. Most of the UN Security Council wants to ensure that food supplies don't disappear just as people are trying to resume their lives after the war.
US President George W Bush prodded Security Council nations yesterday to lift sanctions against Iraq.
The sanctions issue and the UN role in postwar Iraq were certain to be on the agenda of a meeting between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The Bush administration is expected to present its sanctions resolution to the 15 council members late this week or next week. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said yesterday the United States wants action before the current phase of the UN oil-for-food humanitarian program expires June 3. Bureau Report
As Washington prepared to put a draft resolution on Iraq to UN Security Council, the opposing views set the stage for a possible replay of the battle within the Council over US-led war against Iraq, though with a somewhat different lineup.
Washington said it lifted some of its sanctions in order to help efforts to rebuild the country and provide humanitarian aid.
But Russia and France, which both opposed the war in Iraq and had lucrative contracts with Saddam Hussein's government, are in no rush to end the oil-for-food program.
The oil-for-food program had been feeding 90 percent of Iraq's 24 million people before it was halted prior to the US-led invasion of Iraq on March 20. Most of the UN Security Council wants to ensure that food supplies don't disappear just as people are trying to resume their lives after the war.
US President George W Bush prodded Security Council nations yesterday to lift sanctions against Iraq.
The sanctions issue and the UN role in postwar Iraq were certain to be on the agenda of a meeting between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The Bush administration is expected to present its sanctions resolution to the 15 council members late this week or next week. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said yesterday the United States wants action before the current phase of the UN oil-for-food humanitarian program expires June 3. Bureau Report