The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq on the morning of November 17 and will review UN Secretary -General Kofi Annan's latest report on the implementation of the program.

In the report submitted to the council Tuesday, Annan said the oil-for-food program for Iraq continues to have a positive impact.

Annan stresses that in order to maintain or increase the momentum of the program, improvement in contracting, processing application, delivery and distribution of supplies are "essential."

The current phase of the oil-for-food program began on May 25 and will expire on November 20.

The council is expected to draw a technical resolution to renew the 5.26 billion US dollar humanitarian package for Iraq at the end of this week.

According to UN diplomats, Iraq looks certain to accept another six-month renewal of the United Nations humanitarian oil sales deal after the current phase expires.

The oil-for-food program began to implement in late 1996 in a bid to ease the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Iraq caused by stringent UN sanctions.