Resuming Iraqi oil sales

Nearly six years of strict international sanctions have prevented Iraq from selling oil. The embargo has crippled Iraq's military, which was the intention, but has also caused hardship for the people of Iraq.

Now there is a good chance that injury can be eased. But first Baghdad must accept some reasonable changes in the plan it is working out with the United Nations for limited, supervised oil sales to provide revenue for much needed food and medicine.

Iraq remains far from compliance with arms control requirements it must meet to resume full oil sales. But a Security Council resolution passed a year ago authorized it to sell US$ 2 billion worth of oil over six months, provided it worked out acceptable arrangements with the United Nations.

Iraq must agree to use the money only for humanitarian relief and to compensate victims of Baghdad's aggression. Some oil revenue may also be applied to offsetting the costs of UN arms monitoring in Iraq.

After months of posturing, Saddam Hussein agreed to serious negotiations earlier this year. A draft agreement was reached last month, but the United States and Britain want to tighten it to prevent Iraq from manipulating the food aid or diverting the oil revenues for illicit arms purchases.

Washington and London insist that the United Nations, rather than Iraq, choose the bank where the money would be deposited and that the United Nations scrutinize Iraqi statistics on current food consumption so that increases in supplies can be accurately measured.

They also want to have food and medicine purchases for the Kurdish region handled by the international agencies now providing relief for that part of the country, not by the central government in Baghdad.

Given Iraq's record of financial deception, its harsh repression of the Kurds, and its continuing efforts to obtain prohibited weapons, the American and British demands are fully justified.

-- The New York Times