UN Security Council rescinds major resolutions on Iraq

Dec 15, 2010, 16:42 GMT

New York - The UN Security Council decided on Wednesday to terminate at least three major resolutions that it adopted after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 in a significant step to restore Iraq's international standing.

The milestone decision to terminate those resolutions was made in consideration of major achievements and progress made by the Iraqi government recently in building a future different from the one under dictator Saddam Hussein.

US Vice President Joe Biden presided over the 15-nation council because the US holds the rotating leadership of the body in December.

One resolution that was terminated dealt with an embargo imposed in 1990 on weapons and military equipment that was necessary to prevent Iraq from acquiring the technology to manufacture weapons of mass destruction under Saddam Hussein. Some, but not all restrictions were lifted.

The council also terminated an internationally held development funds for Iraq, and turned it over to the sovereignty of Iraq. The funds were created after the US sent troops into Iraq in March 2003. The funds used income from Iraq's oil exports for its own development.

The third decision by the council was to end the so-called oil- for-food programme, which was created in the 1990s to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, using the proceeds from oil exports. A residual of more than 600 million dollars from remaining contracts will be turned over the Iraqi government. The oil-for-food scheme was ended after the overthrown of Saddam in 2003.

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