UNITED NATIONS, March 28: The UN Security Council on Friday voted unanimously to tap billions of dollars in Iraqi oil revenues to purchase food and medicine for Iraq’s people who face a possible humanitarian crisis in the war.

The 15-0 vote to restart the oil-for-food programme, which provides basic goods to 60 percent of Iraq’s 26 million people, came after a week of rancorous negotiations.

Russia and others were adamant the resolution did not confer legitimacy on the invasion of Iraq.

But Germany, also opposed to the war, managed to help forge a compromise as the chief negotiator for the resolution.

“This was a good day for the United Nations, a good day for the Security Council and I hope a good day for the suffering people of Iraq,” said Germany’s U.N ambassador Gunter Pleuger.

The programme, which began in Dec 1996, allows Iraq to sell oil to purchase food, medicine and a host of civilian supplies under UN supervision.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan suspended the programme and evacuated more than 300 relief workers who monitor the distribution of supplies shortly before US and British forces invaded Iraq.

The resolution would authorize Mr Annan, for the next 45 days, to make “technological and temporary adjustments” to the programme, such as reviewing Iraq’s contracts to make sure health supplies and foodstuffs had priority.

Kofi Annan, the United States and Britain had asked the council to ensure that nearly 10 billion dollars in goods Iraq ordered and already approved, including 2.4 billion dollars for food, can enter the country when conditions allow. —Reuters

Masood Haider adds: Earlier, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram noted at the Council meeting that “due to the application of sanctions for over 12 years, the Iraqi people are unfortunately dependent on meeting their essential needs on the UN-operated Oil-for-Food Programme. This relationship has been disrupted. Warned of the impending war, the Secretary-General had no choice but to withdraw the UN personnel. Now, once parameters of the conflict have become clearer, the UN can resume its role and responsibilities for humanitarian and food assistance to the Iraqi people. Fortunately, the UN has the machinery to discharge these responsibilities.”

The oil-for-food programme has allowed Iraq to sell unlimited quantities of oil provided the money goes mainly to buying food, medicine and other humanitarian goods. The oil proceeds are deposited in a UN-controlled account.