Iraq: UN Sanctions Vote A Significant Step Forward

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that the latest United Nations (UN) Security Council vote on Iraq is 'a significant step forward'.

The UN decision will soon mean no sanctions on ordinary imports into Iraq, only controls on military and weapons-related goods.

The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw said:

"The Security Council vote on Iraq is a significant step forward. The international community is united over how to apply controls to the Baghdad regime. I am pleased that Britain has played a leading role in securing this agreement to more targetted controls."
"The UN decision will soon mean no sanctions on ordinary imports into Iraq, only controls on military and weapons-related goods. Iraq will be free to meet all its civilian needs. The measures leave the Baghdad regime with no excuses for the suffering of the Iraqi people."

"Iraq holds the key to its reintegration into the international community - compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1284. There must be independently verified compliance with the international community's insistence that Iraq give up its Weapons of Mass Destruction. In the meantime we will continue to fulfil our obligation to contain the threat which Saddam Hussein still poses to the international community."

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