DIPLOMACY: The UN Security Council, deeply divided over the US-British assault on Iraq, struggled yesterday to agree the text of a resolution aimed at averting a humanitarian catastrophe among the country's estimated 24 million people, writes Conor O'Clery, in New York
The issue provoked a furious outburst from Iraq's ambassador, Mr Mohammed Al-Douri, who accused the United States in an open session of the council of trying to exterminate the Iraqi people.
The US ambassador to the UN, Mr John Negroponte, walked out of the debate as the Iraqi diplomat spoke. "I did sit through quite a long part of what he had to say but I'd heard enough," he said outside the chamber.
The resolution would allow UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan to restart the UN oil-for-food programme which provides essential humanitarian needs for 60 per cent of the Iraqi population.
The oil-for-food programme was suspended at the start of the war last week when Mr Annan withdrew 300 UN aid workers who supervised it. It can only be restored by a resolution of the council.
Russia and Syria have objected to proposed texts of the resolution authorising Mr Annan to try to get the programme restarted for 45 days, on the grounds that the wording legitimised the use of force by the occupying powers.
Even when it is restarted, the UN faces huge logistical problems getting delivery of food, medicine and civilian supplies restored on the ground as the war continues. The UN will most likely agree to using the existing network of Iraqi officials but this can only happen with the agreement of the occupying powers.
British ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock yesterday circulated a text that would eliminate a direct reference to a US-British role in co-ordinating the programme and underline Iraq's sovereignty over its oil wealth.
Moscow's UN ambassador, Mr Sergei Lavrov, indicated he might still be open to a compromise on a technical resolution, saying, "We are prepared to resolve the questions of temporary amendments of procedures of the oil-for-food programme." He added, however, "we will not support the proposal that the mechanism for the humanitarian programme be restructured and adjusted to the military scenario."
Russia opposed "attempts to legitimise use of force or to shift responsibility to the international community."
The council was asked earlier this week by Mr Annan, the US and Britain to ensure that more than $10 billion in Iraqi goods, including $2.4 billion mainly for food, could enter Iraq when conditions allowed.
President Bush called on the UN to restore the oil for food programme immediately. "This urgent humanitarian issue must not be politicised. The Security Council should give Secretary-General Kofi Annan authority to get food to those most in need of assistance," he said at a press conference with British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair at Camp David. Mr Blair flew from the meeting to JFK airport where he conferred with Mr Annan in a private lounge before returning to London. He said much of his discussion with Mr Bush had been on how to get UN agreement to restore the programme.
Regarding a future role for the UN, Mr Blair said "we will work with the UN to seek a new Security Council resolution to ensure Iraq's territorial integrity."
The UN plans to announce today a $2.1 billion emergency appeal for what Mr Annan has described as the largest humanitarian drive it has undertaken.