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Details of resolution to lift Iraq sanctions
From Liz Neisloss
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Virtually all of the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq for the last 13 years would be lifted under a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution, being jointly sponsored by the United States, Britain and Spain that may be presented Friday. U.S. officials say the sanctions are no longer needed after the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime and that lifting the sanctions will hasten reconstruction of the war-torn country. The sanctions were imposed in August 1990 shortly after Iraq invaded Kuwait. The United States has asked for a Security Council meeting Friday to introduce the resolution. CNN has obtained a copy of the draft resolution, which contains the following key points: • All sanctions would be lifted "with the exception of bans related to the sale or supply to Iraq of arms." • U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan would be asked to appoint a special coordinator for Iraq, whose responsibilities would include coordinating humanitarian assistance and reconstruction activities. • The coordinator would act in a secondary role to the United States, as Iraq's "occupying power," to help set up national and local governing institutions and would also help with rebuilding Iraq's police force and reforming its legal and judicial systems. • All proceeds from Iraqi oil sales would be deposited into an Iraqi Assistance Fund to pay for humanitarian and reconstruction needs "until such time as a new Iraqi government is properly constituted and capable of discharging its responsibilities." • The fund would have an international advisory board including representatives from the United Nations, appointed by Annan, as well as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. • The "oil for food" program, under which Iraqi oil sales were governed while sanctions were in place, would be phased out over four months after the resolution is adopted. Any money left in the program not already committed to humanitarian needs would be transferred to the Iraqi Assistance Fund. • Iraq's oil proceeds would be immune from any litigation arising from prior claims • U.N. member states would be asked to deny safe haven to members of the previous Iraqi regime responsible for crimes and atrocities. • Trading or transferring Iraqi antiquities and items "illegally removed from the Iraq National Museum, the National Library and other locations in Iraq" would be prohibited. Not mentioned in the new resolution are U.N. weapons inspectors or UNMOVIC, the agency responsible for carrying out inspections of possible weapons of mass destruction before the war. The United States has said it sees no role for UNMOVIC for the foreseeable future. Russia and France fear an end to sanctions would effectively hand control of Iraq's immense oil reserves to the United States. They also say U.N. inspection teams should resume its work in verifying Iraqi disarmament.
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