Iraq denounces the oil-for-food program

Iraq on Friday renewed its condemnation of the oil for food program and accused it of being a big failure even in achieving " humble" humanitarian purposes inspired from it.

A press statement released by Iraq's representation office at the UN said that the oil-for-food program which Iraq had signed with the UN organization in 1996 to improve the humanitarian conditions of the Iraqi people did not only fail in halting the deterioration of this condition but also failed in attaining its " humble humanitarian objectives."

The statement added that number of contracts suspended by the UN sanctions committee for the past phases of the oil-for-food programs until March 6, 2001 reached 1664 contracts at a total value of $ 3.333 billion relating to the sectors of agriculture, nutrition, health, education, housing, communications, electricity and oil.

The statement explained that Iraq has exported oil at a cost of $ 38.307 billion and that the value of items it had received for all sectors is estimated only at USD 9.763 billion at a time when the UN cut a sum of $ 11.824 billion for the compensation Fund; $ 797,905 million as costs for running costs of monitoring the UN operations and $ 288.162 million for the UN special committee despite the fact that its activities were suspended since December 15. 1998.

These new Iraqi criticism comes at a time when France on Thursday evening accused the US of suspending the imports of Children's vaccine by Iraq in the framework of the oil-for-food program.