BRIEFING BY FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESMAN

United Nations
Office of the Spokesperson
for the Secretary-General

8 April 2002

. . .

      **Iraq

According to the UN oil monitors, the transfer of oil from Iraq to the Ceyhan loading terminal in Turkey ceased at 5 a.m. New York time today.  Iraqi oil authority personnel at Ceyhan advised the UN oil monitors that this was on the direct instructions of their authorities in Baghdad.  At the other loading terminal, Mina al-Bakr, one vessel completed loading today.  There are two other vessels awaiting loading.  At this time, it is not clear whether they will, in fact, take on their oil cargo.

. . .

      **Questions and Answers

Question:  Did the oil overseers say whether the Iraqi overseers had explained why they had given instructions to cut off the flow of oil?

Spokesman:  To my knowledge, no.

. . .