The Security Council of the United Nations on November 19 unanimously approved the extension of the current UN oil-for-food program in Iraq for two weeks until December 4.

The move came after weeks of private discussion among the five permanent members of the Security Council, namely China, Russia, France, Britain and the United States.

According to relevant resolutions of the Security Council, Iraq can export about 8.2 billion US dollars worth of oil in the current phase which began on May 25 and expires on November 4.

But it is estimated that Iraq can only sell about 7.2 billion dollars worth of oil by the end of this phase, 100 million dollars short of the ceiling set up by the Security Council. The council decided to give Iraq two-week extra time to reach that account.

Iraq has been under UN sanctions since its invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The oil-for-food program, which began to be implemented in late 1996, is aimed to ease the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country.

The program allows Iraq to sell 5.2 billion dollars worth of oil every six months to buy food, medicine and other necessities for its people. (Xinhua)