Oil-for-food programme gets extension

UNITED NATIONS, JUNE 9. After days of bitter negotiations among its members, the Security Council has granted another six-month extension to the `Oil for food' programme in Iraq which allows Baghdad to sell unlimited quantity of oil under strict U.N. control.

The unanimous approval, which came around late yesterday minutes before the previous phase of the programme was to expire, also calls for an extensive study by the Secretary-General of the humanitarian situation in the country.

The Council resolution extending the programme adds water and santitation equipment to the list of items which Iraq can import without approval by the Security Council sanctions committee.

The resolution, drafted by Britain and France, also allows Iraq to spend $600 millions to repair its oil infrastrucutre which is in a bad shape.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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