Iraq Accuses US, Britain of Blocking ContractsIraq on Tuesday accused the United States and Britain of blocking contracts it signed with other countries under the United Nations oil-for-food program.The UN Sanctions Committee put on hold a total of 1,847 contracts Iraq signed with other countries during the past eight phases of the UN program, the Al-Aktisadi (Economy) weekly said. The contracts have been exclusively obstructed by US and British representatives at the committee, as no other members have ever blocked any purchase of any type since the deal was launched four years ago, the official weekly noted. Iraq condemned the conduct of the US and Britain as "an aggressive trend reflecting the rancor harbored by the two countries' governments toward the Iraqi people." As an exception to UN trade embargo since Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Baghdad is allowed to sell oil to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies to offset the impacts of the crippling sanctions. The eighth phase of the UN humanitarian deal terminated on December 5, and the UN Security Council has decided to extend the program for another six months. |
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