*EPF204 11/26/2002
U.S. Wants Iraqi Import List Expanded
(Negroponte says more dual use items need to be on goods review list) (380)

By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council November 25 adopted a resolution providing for a ten-day extension of the current oil-for-food program for Iraq in order to allow time for negotiations on expanding the list of goods that are subject to review by the U.N. Sanctions Committee.

The United States is pressing to add more dual use items to the goods review list before the oil-for-food program is authorized for another six-month term.

"The United States has long supported the humanitarian program for Iraq under the oil-for-food program. We continue to do so," U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said after the council meeting.

"What we are advocating is that there be a ... prompt review of the goods review list to tighten it up to ensure that it is not exploited or utilized in any way by the Government of Iraq to import items for military purpose under civilian guise," the ambassador said.

"We have nothing against the humanitarian program and once we have reached agreement on a modified goods review list, we would be prepared to see approval of the oil-for-food program approved on a normal basis," he said.

"The issue that we raised before the council in the past couple of days was that there were some items ... that we felt did not necessarily have a benign, or purely civilian or humanitarian purpose," Negroponte said.

"We are concerned that this list be improved to address some of the kinds of items that we have seen the Government of Iraq trying to import of late," he said.

A recent example was a request for automatic injectors for atropine chemicals, which have no possible civilian use and could only be used in a chemical warfare situation, Negroponte said. The injectors were not on the goods review list. Other items were militarily significant quantities of atropine, global positioning system jammers, and radio intercept and direction finding equipment.

"So we feel that even though the goods review list is long and detailed, there are areas where it can, and must, be strengthened," he said.

Under the oil-for-food program revised earlier this year, humanitarian goods do not need review by the Sanctions Committee review. Iraqi contracts for items that could have either civilian or military use -- often referred to as "dual use" items -- must be screened by the committee.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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