DATE=3/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N IRAQ OIL (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260811
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United Nations Security Council 
(today/Friday) has approved a resolution authorizing 
sanction-burdened Iraq to double the amount it can 
spend for oil industry equipment. VOA Correspondent 
Breck Ardery reports from the United Nations. 

TEXT: In a meeting lasting less than three minutes, 
the Security Council unanimously approved the Iraq 
resolution which was sponsored by the United States. 
The resolution allows Iraq to double, from 300- 
million dollars to 600-million dollars, the amount of 
money it can spend on its oil industry every six 
months.

Under the U-N oil-for-food program, Iraq is allowed to 
sell an unlimited amount of oil to raise money for 
food and other humanitarian supplies. However, a 
recent report from U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan 
noted that Iraq's oil industry is desperately in need 
of spare parts and other equipment.

After the resolution was approved, Britain's U-N 
ambassador Jeremy Greenstock told reporters he hopes 
that increased spending on oil equipment in Iraq will 
have the desired effect.

            /// GREENSTOCK ACT ///

      This will bring significant new revenue into the 
      oil-for-food program in Iraq and we hope the 
      Iraqi government will bring it straight to meet 
      the needs of the Iraqi people. Food, medicine 
      and agricultural supplies are badly needed and 
      are not getting through quickly enough.

            /// END ACT ///

During a Security Council discussion of the Iraq 
program last week, the United States charged that the 
Iraqi government has been slow to distribute relief 
supplies and, in some cases, even re-exported them. 

However, some nations were critical of the United 
States for blocking certain shipments to Iraq - 
shipments the United States says contain items that 
could be used for weapons or shipments for which there 
is no information on what they contain. The United 
States says it is streamlining its review program so 
that shipments containing purely civilian items can 
arrive sooner. (Signed) 

NEB/UN/BA/LSF/JO



31-Mar-2000 12:27 PM EDT (31-Mar-2000 1727 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.