PRESS RELEASE ON REVISED UN SANCTIONS ON IRAQ

NORWAY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

May 15, 2002

"We are very pleased to note that the Security Council adopted detailed rules for a comprehensive reform of the sanctions against Iraq today," said Foreign Minister Jan Petersen. "Since we took our seat on the Council we have consistently and actively worked to promote more targeted sanctions through our position as chair of the sanctions committee for Iraq. Our aim has always been to improve the difficult humanitarian situation of the country’s civilian population and at the same time to prevent Iraq from developing weapons of mass destruction and thus again threatening peace and security in the region."

The Minister continued, "When the reform is implemented as of 30 May, it will no longer be possible for the Iraqi authorities to claim that the difficult humanitarian situation in the country is due to sanctions. However, real improvement in the humanitarian situation is dependent on Iraq importing goods that will benefit the civilian population."

Under the sanctions reform, the import of goods to Iraq will be liberalized, and control measures will be directed at goods with potential military use. In practice the sanctions system has been reversed, so that anything that is not on the goods review list may be freely exported to Iraq.

"Iraq must now comply with Security Council resolutions and fully cooperate with the UN weapons inspectors. Only then can the sanctions against Iraq be lifted," concluded the Minister.