UNITED NATIONS, May 22: The UN Security Council on Thursday gave a near-unanimous approval to end 13-year-old sanctions on Iraq, and the United States and Britain obtained approval to run the country with its oil riches.

The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming 14-0 vote with Syria abstaining.

Some last-minute concessions by the United States on Wednesday paved the way for the approval of the resolution, seen as a victory for the Bush administration as the previous holdouts to the war resolution — France, Russia, China and Germany — voted in its favour.

The resolution gives the United Nations a limited but more expanded role, and leaves open the possibility of the UN weapons inspectors returning to Iraq.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram, and the president of the Security Council this month, observed that the US made some major concessions, including accepting the provisions of the UN charter and its role as an occupying power, and by expanding the role of the United Nations by agreeing to the appointment of a UN special representative. It also agreed to allow UN weapons inspectors to return to Iraq.

“The lifting of sanctions marks a momentous event for the people of Iraq,” US Ambassador John Negroponte said 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.”

The final compromise in the seven-page resolution was an agreement by the US 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.

“It is an extremely important restoration of council consensus,” said Britain’s UN ambassador, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, a co-sponsor of the resolution along with Spain.

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.”

France said the resolution “is not exactly what it wanted” but voted for it.

The UN sanctions were imposed on Iraq following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.