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March 30 http://www.accessme.com/jordantimes/Thu/news/news5.htm Iraq's top U.N. official leaves, saying sanctions 'missing target' BAGHDAD (AP) A gloomy U.N. chief left Iraq on Wednesday vowing to continue his fight against U.N. trade sanctions which he accused of depriving the Iraqi population of its basic rights. Several U.N.-employed Iraqis wept when Hans Von Sponeck shook their hands for the last time. Signs of grief were evident on the faces of his international staff. But Von Sponeck, who resigned last month over the devastating impact of sanctions on ordinary Iraqis, said his mission was not over. He said he would work to persuade an increasing number of governments that enough is enough. Von Sponeck, a German, is the second U.N. coordinator in Iraq to resign over the sanctions issue. The sanctions were imposed for Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait and will only be lifted when the government proves to U.N. weapons inspectors that it has scrapped its weapons of mass destruction and means to produce and deliver them. But the weapons inspectors left Iraq more than a year ago and the government has vowed it will never allow them to return. Two former chief weapons inspectors said on Tuesday they believed Baghdad has utilised the inspectors' absence to resurrect its weapons programmes. The target (of sanctions) has been missed, Von Sponeck told reporters before leaving. The United Nations has named Tun Myat of Myanmar, a World Food Programme official, as the new humanitarian coordinator to replace Von Sponeck. Von Sponeck said he could not continue watching a population that is deprived of everything...the right to proper life, the right to work, the right to shelter, good services and most of all the right to education. A recent UNICEF report said at least 20 per cent of Iraqi children have dropped out of school and are now engaged in petty trade in major urban centres. Iraq blames the sanctions for people's suffering, but U.N. relief officials say the government's priorities and wars are also responsible for the deprivation. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk Full details of CASI's various lists can be found on the CASI website: http://welcome.to/casi