UN Adjusts Goods Review List for Iraq under 'Oil-for-food' Program

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 31, 2002

UN Adjusts Goods Review List for Iraq under 'Oil-for-food' Program

The UN Security Council on Monday approved changes to a list of goods that are subject to review and approval under the world body's humanitarian aid program for Iraq.

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The UN Security Council on Monday approved changes to a list of goods that are subject to review and approval under the world body's humanitarian aid program for Iraq.

By a vote of 13 in favor, with the Russian Federation and Syriaabstaining, the 15-member council adopted a resolution making adjustments to the so-called Goods Review List, which is central to a system now being used to expedite the delivery of humanitarian goods to Iraq.

Under that system, import contracts on all goods not directly subject to the sanctions can be approved more quickly. Instead of being reviewed by a council committee set up to monitor the sanctions against Baghdad, these contracts are processed directly through the UN Office of the Iraq Program.

The resolution called for the council to conduct a thorough review of the list and the procedures for its implementation 90 days after its start and prior to the end of the current 180-day phase of the oil-for-food program.

It also decided to conduct regular, thorough reviews of the list by the committee overseeing the sanctions against Iraq.

The council appealed to all countries to continue to cooperate in timely submission of technically complete applications and expeditious issuing of export licenses.

Syrian Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe told reporters after the vote that he abstained for fear that the resolution could harm ordinaryIraqis.

He also complained that Syria had not had time to properly study the proposed additions to the 300-page list which itemizes restricted goods that Iraq is barred from importing without first obtaining council approval on a case-by-case basis.

An annex to the resolution added about 60 items to the list, falling into four categories: conventional weapons, missiles, chemical weapons and biological weapons.

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