BRIEFING BY FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESMAN FOR THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

29 May 2002

Excerpts

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**Oil-for-Food

As I just mentioned, Benon Sevan updated the Security Council on the status of the oil-for-food programme, as well as steps taken, thus far, by his Office in putting in place the new procedures for the processing of contracts, as required under Security Council resolution 1409, which was adopted on 14 May.

That resolution introduced the Goods Review List and a new set of procedures for the processing and review of contracts for the purchase of humanitarian supplies and equipment by the Government of Iraq under the oil-for-food programme.

The next phase of the oil-for-food programme, phase XII, becomes effective tomorrow and will last for six months.  Yesterday, there was an exchange of letters between the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Iraq, extending the Memorandum of Understanding on the oil-for-food programme.

In his update, Sevan told the Council that the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) will be applying the revised procedures gradually, with a goal of having them fully in place no later than July 15th.  In the application of these new procedures, Sevan said there already is much closer cooperation between the OIP, UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The weekly oil figures show that, while remaining well below the expected average, Iraqi oil exports totaled 9 million barrels in the week ending 24 May. The week’s exports generated an estimated $205 million in revenue.  On the same subject, the full text of the OIP weekly report, as well as embargoed copies of Benon Sevan’s statement, is available upstairs.

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