Baghdad accuses UN of delaying oil-for-food contracts approval

Iraq accused on Sunday the UN Sanctions Committee of delaying the approval of the oil-for-food contracts passed with several Arab enterprises.

"The Iraqi Trade and Agriculture Departments have signed four months ago contracts with some Lebanese, Egyptian and Jordanian companies for the purchase of food and meat," the Iraqi News Agency INA reported, affirming that the UN sanctions committee has not however consented to the materialization of these contacts.

By virtue of the oil-for-food program adopted in 1996, Baghdad is authorized to sell limited quantities of oil for the purchase of food and medicine.