Iraq, the UN hold talks on lifting the sanctions

An official source at the Iraqi foreign ministry said that the Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri al-Hadeithi will head by the beginning of March to New York, leading an Iraqi delegation in order to resume the dialogue with the UN.

In a statement, the source said that an official delegation including several specialists is to resume the open and comprehensive dialogue with the UN chief Kofi Annan. The statement added that comprehensive dialogue aims at attaining the realization of the legal implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions concerning Iraq and Iraq's obligations in order to lift the sanctions imposed on Iraq and to honor its sovereignty and independence and territorial integrity.

Meantime, a spokesman for the UN said on Monday that the UN chief will be meeting at the headquarters of the UN in New York on March 7 with an Iraqi delegation led by the Iraqi foreign minister.

News reports said that the spokesman for the UN Steven Rorbararitch explained that Annan expects the discussions to result in implementing UN resolutions, especially the return of the UN weapons inspectors to Iraq. The UN spokesman said that the meeting will last for one day because Sabri will be engaged to attending the meetings of the Arab foreign ministers ( Arab league meetings ), but he indicated if it will be needed, the talks will be resumed after the fifth of April.

The UN inspectors, however, left Iraq in December 1998 upon the US and British bombardment of Iraq. Since then, Baghdad has not permited their return.