Re: House of Lords exchange

[Seb Wills <saw27@DELETETHIScam.ac.uk>]

Thanks, Glen, for the extracts from the Distribution Plan submitted by the
Iraqi Govt. to the Secretary-General in December. Although the plan was
approved by the Secretary-General, the following extracts from an
11-Dec-98 letter from the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq
programme (Benon Sevan) to the Iraqi Rep. to the UN should be noted: 

[begin extract]
Without any prejudice to the statement contained in paragraph 11 of the
plan, the Secretary-General's acceptance of the plan does not constitute
at this time an endorsement of either the budgetary allocation for
telecommunications or of the specific items listed in annex VII to the
plan. The Secretary-General awaits the Government’s response to the report
of the United Nations telecommunications experts, which was submitted to
you under cover of my letter dated 30 October 1998, following the joint
technical review by United Nations experts and the relevant technical
ministries of the Government of Iraq. The Secretary-General will also
await the presentation of a sufficiently detailed annex after the
Government completes its consideration of a range of technical options
referred to in paragraph 66 of the plan before commenting further on the
Government’s proposal. 
[end extract]

[begin extract]
I should also like to inform you that the Secretary-General’s acceptance
of the plan does not constitute an endorsement of either the budgetary
allocation for equipment and supplies in support of the banking
requirements referred to in paragraph 66 of the plan or the specific items
listed in annex X to the plan. 

With respect to the above, it may be recalled that paragraph 8 of Security
Council resolution 986 (1995) provides that the funds received from the
export of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products that are to be used to
meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi population, shall be utilized to
finance the export to Iraq "of medicine, health supplies, foodstuffs, and
materials and supplies for essential civilian needs, as referred to in
paragraph 20 of resolution 687 (1991)". Paragraph 20 of resolution 687
(1991) clarifies in this respect that the above category means materials
and supplies for essential civilian needs as identified in the report of
the Secretary-General dated 20 March 1991 (S/22366)  and in any further
findings of humanitarian need by the Security Council Committee
established pursuant to resolution 661 (1990). The Secretary-General’s
above-mentioned report contains no reference to materials and supplies
needed for banking requirements; nor has the Security Council Committee,
so far, made any findings in this regard. 
[end extract]



For completeness, here's the "paragraph 11" of the D.P. which is referred
to (the same DP which Glen quoted from)


11. The present condition of telecommunications throughout Iraq including
its three northern governorates is extremely poor and requires immediate
attention. A viable system of communications is integral to the life of
the community and the successful implementation of the "Oil-for-food" 
programme including distribution of food and medicines in a more effective
manner, communication inputs including telephone systems has been
introduced, which are essential for information flow among service
providers, for health education to communication and households, for
coordination of sectors like food, agriculture, education, cultural;
emergency health services, and environment. Due to the limited funds, US$
126 million have been allocated, US$ 18.7 million allocated for three
northern governorates. The basic needs are reflected in the attachments. 



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