DATE=11/19/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N-IRAQ OIL (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256371
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  The United Nations Security Council today 
(Friday) extended - for just two weeks - Iraq's right 
to sell oil to raise money for humanitarian purposes.  
At the United Nations, V-O-A Correspondent Breck 
Ardery reports the decision was a compromise after 
Russia and the United States were unable to agree on 
changes in the "oil-for-food" program. 


TEXT:  The Council unanimously extended the program 
until December fourth under the same conditions it has 
been operating since December of 1996.  The program 
allows Iraq to sell more than five billion dollars 
worth of oil every six months to raise money for food, 
medicine and other humanitarian purposes.

But this extension, which was originally supposed to 
be for another six months, ran into trouble when 
Russia and the United States were unable to agree on 
several issues.  They include Russia's position that 
the amount of oil Iraq can sell should be raised and 
that Iraq should be allowed to double spending to 
repair its oil facilities.

Speaking with the aid of an English interpreter, 
Russian U-N ambassador Sergey Lavrov told the Security 
Council he hopes his nation's views will be 
incorporated into the next resolution on Iraq.

            /// Interpreter Act ///

      Unfortunately, our arguments were not taken into 
      account by a number of delegations, referring to 
      the fact that all items pertaining to the 
      humanitarian blockade should be considered 
      within the framework of a comprehensive 
      resolution on Iraq.  Taking the position of a 
      number of members of the Council into account, 
      we do not object to a short technical resolution 
      on extending this phase for two weeks with the 
      understanding that the next stage will be 
      determined later on.

            /// End Act ///

The question now is, will the Security Council be able 
to agree on a comprehensive resolution before the two-
week extension of the oil-for-food program expires?  A 
proposed comprehensive resolution would lift the 
economic sanctions against Iraq in exchange for the 
return of international weapons inspectors to that 
country.  But again, there are differences between 
Russia and the United States on how that resolution 
should be worded.  The five permanent members of the 
Security Council have been holding private meetings to 
discuss it.  Peter Burleigh, the deputy chief of the 
U-S mission to the United Nations, says it is critical 
that the Security Council agree on a comprehensive 
resolution on Iraq.(Signed) 

NEB/UN/BA/LSF/JP




19-Nov-1999 14:43 PM EDT (19-Nov-1999 1943 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.