The five permanent UN Security Council members have endorsed a proposal to reform the 11-year-old sanctions against Iraq and to implement the reforms one month from now, a Western diplomat said last night.
The diplomat said the five were united behind a draft resolution which expresses the council's "intention to consider new arrangements" for the trade embargo on Iraq between now and July 3rd.
If adopted, the draft resolution would extend the UN's oil-for-food programme in Iraq until that date while the council discusses the new arrangements. Mr Jeremy Greenstock, the British ambassador to the UN, told reporters the oil-for-food draft would be put to the vote today.
The text was "an adapted UK draft adopted by the P5 [the permanent five members] which now has the support of the council," Mr Greenstock said.
"This was a very good development today in the council coming together to set out the basis upon it wishes to adapt its policy on sanctions on Iraq," he said.
James Cunningham, the acting US ambassador to the UN, said the resolution to extend the programme "sets out a policy framework that's in accordance with that approach." He added: "We need to do a lot of hard work still to fill in the details, and that's what we will do over the next 30 days."