Global Policy Forum

By Irwin Arieff

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said that he failed in talks with his Russian counterpart to come up with an acceptable compromise on overhauling U.N. sanctions on Iraq. After his talks with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, "there is not yet agreement with Russia," Straw told reporters.

The talks took place on the sidelines of the annual general debate of the 189-nation U.N. General Assembly, which began on Saturday.

At issue is a draft U.N. Security Council resolution, sponsored by the United States and Britain, that would lift restraints on the import of civilian goods to Iraq and attempt to cut off oil and other goods smuggled in and out of the country through porous borders.

Russia threatened earlier this year to veto the "smart sanctions" plan and Iraq -- which demands the total lifting of the sanctions imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait -- halted oil flows in June for about a month until it was certain the measure would not be approved.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has discussed the issue several times with Ivanov, and the subject may come up at this week's Texas summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Straw said he had discussed with Ivanov a revision of the plan opposed by Moscow the last time around. He did not say what the proposed changes were but diplomats said they would not be submitted unless Russia showed signs of compromise.

Iraq's oil-for-food program comes up for renewal on November 30 and the 15-nation U.N. Security Council must approve a resolution by then either extending the current programme or revamping it.

The programme allows Baghdad to sell unlimited quantities of oil to buy, food, medicine and other civilians goods, an exception to sanctions imposed in 1990. The oil revenues are controlled by the United Nations, which pays suppliers of goods Iraq orders.

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