Workers on an oilfield in Basra Iraq will have control over most of its oil assets starting July 1, 2011December 17, 2011
Security Council eases sanctions on Iraq
The United States, tying up loose ends as its occupation of Iraq winds down, pushed through three Security Council resolutions on Wednesday that lifted restrictions left over from the confrontation with Saddam Hussein.
One resolution permits Iraq to develop a civilian nuclear programme and import materials once banned because they could possibly be used to help develop unconventional weapons. A second resolution formally shuttered the dormant, widely corrupt oil-for-food programme. And the third gives the country control over most of its oil assets starting July 1, 2011, while simultaneously lifting the protection that shielded post-invasion Iraq from countless legal claims.
“After years of being sanctioned by Security Council resolutions due to the aggression, the belligerence of Saddam's regime, I think today we closed a dark chapter,” said Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's Foreign minister. “I think this shows that Iraq is coming back truly to its rightful place among the community of nations.”
Council resolutions that demand that Iraq resolve disputes with Kuwait were left intact. Working out final agreements on issues ranging from border demarcation to items stolen from the Kuwaiti national archives will be a priority for the next Iraqi government, said Mr. Zebari, so that Iraq can free itself of all Security Council restrictions imposed since 1990.
Iraq still faces at least $22 billion in outstanding financial claims, according to U.N. figures, much of it owed to Kuwait. Iraq will continue to set aside five percent of its oil revenues in a special account to pay off reparations from the war Saddam initiated in August 1990.
Foreign governments, Westerners forced to serve as human shields and companies that lost business because of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait have been among those waiting for the U.N. protections to be lifted so they could pursue court action.
Mr. Zebari, citing hundreds of such claims, said Iraq planned to try to place its assets with the Federal Reserve, where a presidential decree might shield them, and also to try a parallel strategy in Europe. France was the only country to abstain on any resolution, concerned that the one ending the oil-for-food programme did not sufficiently protect BNP Paribas, which handled payments, from claimants.
The resolutions have no substantial implications for American policy, but to create a sense of occasion Vice-President Joe Biden presided over the vote in the Security Council. The United States holds the rotating council presidency this month.
“Basically the United States wants to close the Iraq file and that is what it is doing,” said Joost R. Hiltermann, the deputy West Asia programme director at the International Crisis Group. “But it does mean something for Iraq; they take their sovereignty seriously.” — New York Times News Service
