Iraq Slams UN Oil-for-Food Program

The United Nations oil-for-food program has failed to meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah said on Monday.

Salah told a press conference that Iraq has exported 40 billion US dollars worth of oil since the UN program was launched in 1996, but it has only received goods worth 9.6 billion dollars, an average of seven dollars for each Iraqi every month.

The UN Sanctions Committee, dominated by the United States and Britain, has put on hold contracts worth 15.6 billion dollars in an attempt to worsen Iraq's humanitarian situation, he said.

The UN oil-for-food deal allows Iraq to sell oil and import food, medicine and oil spare parts under strict UN supervision.

However, Salah said that there have been channels outside of the oil-for-food program for Iraq to acquire commodities.

"Our right is to export whatever we can to buy commodities Iraqi citizens need," he said.

With the 10th anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War looming, Iraq has stepped up a propaganda war against the U.S. and Britain, the major forces opposing the lifting of the sanctions, triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

"Iraq will achieve a final victory over the U.S., Britain and those who help them in the region against Iraq," Salah said.

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