The United Nations Security Council on Thursday adopted with near unanimity a new resolution on Iraq, granting wide interim governing powers to the United States and its coalition partners and including a role for a UN Special Representative working with this provisional authority.
The resolution, co-sponsored by the US, Britain and Spain, lifts sanctions imposed on Iraq almost 13 years ago after its invasion of Kuwait, allows for full resumption of oil sales in order to restore economic activity for reconstruction, sets up a government infrastructure under the new US-controlled Authority, and calls on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to appoint a Special Representative.
Its adoption by 14 votes to 0, with Syria absent from the meeting, was a far cry from the deep divisions that fractured the 15-member body in the run-up to the US-led war against the regime of Saddam Hussein.
The resolution includes among the UN Special Representative's duties "working intensively with the Authority, the people of Iraq, and others concerned to advance efforts to restore and establish national and local institutions for representative governance, including by working together to facilitate a process leading to an internationally recognized, representative government of Iraq."
UN Secretary-General Annan said earlier this week that he would move "very quickly" to appoint the Special Representative as soon as the Council passed the resolution, and that the envoy would take up the job as soon as possible.
The resolution also allows for a council review in 12 months time in answer to demands by some members that there should be a new vote after a year.
The new clause does not call for a new vote but states: "(the Council) decides to review the implementation of this resolution within 12 months of adoption and to consider further steps that might be necessary."
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2003)
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