The Secretary-General today wrote to the
President of the Security Council, Ambassador Jassim Mohammed Bualley (Bahrein),
advising that he has approved, as revised, the Distribution Plan submitted by
the Government of Iraq under the terms of Security Council resolution 1210
adopted on 24 November 1998.
The distribution plan and its detailed
annexes were scrutinized by experts from the Special Commission who advised
that, on the basis of the limited information available. there were no
prohibited items. They will keep this matter under review as more information
becomes available.
The plan was submitted by the Government
of Iraq on 29 November. Earlier today, the Government, through its Permanent
Mission, gave its agreement to a request by the United Nations for a $150
million increase in the allocation for food.
The total allocation for the humanitarian
programme is $2.746 billion with $1.056 billion earmarked for food. The
Government says it aims to distribute a food basket providing 2150
kilocalories per person per day. The other main allocations are $240 million
for medicines and medical equipment; $150 million for water and sanitation and
$409 million for electricity plus $300 million for oil spare parts.
