December 17, 1999
Web posted at: 2:09 p.m. EST (1909 GMT)

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U.N: Arms inspections to restart

New group to watch over Iraq's weapons

From staff and wire reports

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- After a year of stalemate, the U.N. Security Council on Friday narrowly approved a new U.N. policy for Iraq that would restart weapons inspections and offer to suspend sanctions if Baghdad cooperates with those inspections.

Iraq had no immediate comment but had previously indicated it would reject such a resolution.

"The United States looks to Iraq to act without delay to facilitate implementation of this resolution," said Peter Burleigh, deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

"Today's resolution does not raise the bar on what is required of Iraq in the area of disarmament; but it also does not lower it," Burleigh told the council.

The resolution passed 11-0, with Russia, France, Malaysia and China abstaining. The vote had been delayed several times in the past week as the governments worked on an agreement.

U.N: Arms inspections to restart

The new resolution calls for restarting arms inspections in Iraq under a new watchdog agency.

But Iraq, which has long said it no longer has any weapons of mass destruction, has indicated it would reject the resolution, calling it an American-inspired attempt to impose its "evil" will on the Security Council.

The sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. A key requirement for lifting the sanctions is that Iraq allow inspectors to certify that its weapons of mass destruction have been destroyed.

Arms inspectors have not been in Iraq since a bombing campaign by the United States and Britain a year ago. The airstrikes were launched to punish Iraq for failing to cooperate fully with weapons experts.

New group to watch over Iraq's weapons

Under the resolution, a new panel called the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, or UNMOVIC, would replace the current U.N. Special Commission in monitoring Iraq's chemical, biological and ballistic-missile programs.

UNMOVIC will work with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Iraq's nuclear programs, in drawing up a list of key disarmament tasks for Iraq. The U.N. Security Council must approve the list.

Russian Ambassador Sergey Lavrov said the real test for the resolution will depend on whether the new inspection agency can "free itself from the harmful heritage," of its predecessor, the U.N. Special Commission, which Russia says was biased.

"How these practical matters deriving from the draft are resolved will directly in a way determine the position of Baghdad," Lavrov said.

Adoption of the resolution also means the cap will be lifted on how much oil Iraq can sell. The cap now is set at $5.26 billion every six months under an "oil-for-food" program.

Parts and equipment to upgrade Iraq's oil industry will be expedited.

The resolution streamlines procedures for importing food, drugs, medical supplies, agricultural equipment and educational items into Iraq. It also allows Iraq, which is now under an air embargo, to fly planes in the Haj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, after notifying the Security Council.