Iraq said on November 10 that a total of one billion US dollars worth of humanitarian goods has been on hold by the United States and Britain.

A press release from Iraq's mission to the United Nations said as of November 9, 1999, the value of contracts under the last three phases of the oil-for-food program put on hold by the two countries had exceeded one billion dollars.

The contracts put on hold include those for the supply of humanitarian goods urgently needed by the people of Iraq, such as medicines, medical equipment, water purification equipment, spare parts for electricity, educational material, agricultural equipment and transport and communications equipment, the mission said.

This is the first time since this program was initiated on December 10, 1996 that 649 contracts with a total value exceeding one billion dollars have been put on hold by the United States and Britain, said the mission.

The two states have thus confirmed once again that their aim is to continue their policy of genocide against the people of Iraq, to refuse to implement Security Council resolutions which they have drafted with their own hands and to ignore the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General, it added.