(Jordan Times) – The United Nations has approved the sale of $129.5 million worth of Jordanian goods to Iraq under the seventh phase of an oil-for-food deal, a Jordanian official said on Monday.
The approval raises to $777.4 million the value of Jordanian exports of food and medicine since the oil-for-food deal began in 1996, said the official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
Under the latest approval — sent to the Jordanian government over the weekend — Jordanian firms will export table salt, detergent and soap, vegetable oil and medical equipment to Iraq soon.
UN officials were not immediately available for comment.
The oil-for-food deal allows Iraq to sell oil to raise funds to purchase humanitarian supplies exempt from UN sanctions imposed on Baghdad following its August 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
Businesspeople have complained that their Iraq-bound exports dwindled under the oil-for-food deal in the past year because Baghdad is importing more goods from other countries like Iran, Syria and Turkey.
Jordanian officials blame that on former Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, whose cabinet had turned a cold shoulder toward Iraq. Rawabdeh's cabinet was replaced in June.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
