M A I N   N E W S

UN support to lift sanctions on Iraq needed

United Nations, April 19
It would be necessary for the USA to go to the Security Council to get more than a decade-old sanctions on Iraq lifted and to give legitimacy to the interim authority Washington proposes to set up to govern the country if it wants to be legally correct, diplomats and officials said.

Under the Council resolutions, it is essential that UN weapons inspectors certify that Iraq does not possess weapons of mass destruction and that they (inspectors) have set up an effective monitoring system to ensure that Baghdad does not acquire or manufacture them in future before the 15-member Council considers lifting of sanctions.

Ideally, diplomats said, the inspectors must go back into the country and take their own time to give their report. In case the USA finds such weapons, they could go in to certify and destroy them under their supervision.

But, they also say the inspectors could give such a report without going in on the basis of information available to them and provided there is understanding among the Council members. This is significant as the Bush administration is not favourably inclined to allow inspectors in the country, according to its officials.

Another course could be for the powerful five permanent members of the Council — the USA, Russia, Britain, France and China — to reach some understanding. In that case the Council could lift sanctions that would enable the interim authority to do business.

The ‘not-so-desirable’ option would be for the interim authority to start selling oil and for powers enforcing the embargo to look the other way. If the legality of such sales is questioned, they could just say they are investigating, according to diplomats.

After all, the embargo is being enforced mostly by the Americans and they can just stop enforcing it. The only effective tool with Russia, France and China is to block lifting of sanctions to press the USA to give the UN a central role. PTI