Iraq denies confiscating children powder milk, reexporting it

Iraq has denied accusations addressed to it by the US concerning children powdered milk which is being obtained according to the oil-for-food program and reexporting it.

The Iraqi dailies on Thursday released a statement to Iraqi Minister of Trade Muhammad Mahdi Saleh saying that the US administration knows very well that the oil-for-food imports of foodstuffs, including children's powdered milk, are distributed according to the system of "a supply card" and that so far the UN observers did not indicate any violation in distribution.

Explaining the issue of the ship Nouran which Baghdad said it refused to receive and which carried children's bottles and powder milk, he said these items violated the standards of processing, saying the ship was not carrying children's powdered milk as claimed by the US.