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UN votes to lift Iraq sanctions Wednesday, Mar 13 2013 - Daily Mail Online The UN Security Council voted overwhelmingly today to end 13-year-old sanctions against Iraq and gave the United States and Britain extraordinary powers to run the country and its lucrative oil industry. Despite misgivings by many council members, the 14-0 vote was a victory for the Bush administration, which made some last-minute concessions that opened the door to an independent, albeit limited UN role and the possibility of UN weapons inspectors returning to post-war Iraq. The only opposition came from Syria, which left its seat empty and did not cast a vote in the 15-member council. "The lifting of sanctions marks a momentous event for the people of Iraq," US Ambassador John Negroponte told the council after the vote. "It is time for the Iraqi people to benefit from their natural resources." In Paris, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "This is a wonderful day for the people of Iraq." Compromise to reach consensus British Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock, noting the divisiveness on Iraq, said, "The whole United Nations system will hope that the vote which we have just taken marks a return to sustained consensus on one of the most difficult foreign policy issues we have faced." He was referring to the council's earlier refusal, particularly on the part of Russia, China, Germany and France, to authorize the US-led war against Iraq that ousted the government of President Saddam Hussein. All four voted "yes". The final compromise in the seven-page resolution was an agreement by Washington for a Security Council review within 12 months on the implementation of the resolution. But the measure does not need to be renewed and stays in effect until an internationally recognized Iraqi government is established. French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said while the resolution was "not perfect", it provided "a credible framework within which the international community will be able to lend support for the Iraqi people. This is why we supported it." And Germany's UN ambassador, Gunter Pleuger, said bluntly: "This resolution is a compromise." "It does not fulfill every wish of all parties, but as compared to the initial draft of the co-sponsors, we have achieved substantial improvements," he said. Resolution gives power to US The UN sanctions were imposed a few days after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. But after Saddam's fall, the United States argued there was no reason for the trade and financial embargoes to continue. The resolution would give the United States and Britain broad powers to run Iraq and sell its oil to fund reconstruction. It would also protect Iraq against lawsuits or attachments of its oil revenues until a permanent Iraqi government is established. Weapons inspectors The United States signalled its willingness this week to have inspectors from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, responsible for nuclear materials, return to Iraq. But the Bush administration is not eager for the return of chemical, biological and missile inspectors, commanded by Hans Blix, who has openly challenged some US assertions. Britain, however, appeared to disagree. Greenstock in his speech said among the issues the Security Council would need to take up in "due time" was the future of the inspection commissions "as they relate to the complete disarmament of Iraq under previous resolutions." Before the war, US President George W Bush repeatedly accused Iraq of having illicit weapons of mass destruction and said it would have to be disarmed by force. US teams searching for the dangerous weapons have not yet found them. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-181846/UN-votes-lift-Iraq-sanctions.html Daily Mail Link
