The U.N. Security Council overwhelmingly approved a resolution Thursday giving the United Nations backing to the U.S.-led administration of Iraq and lifting economic sanctions. The resolution passed by a 14-0 vote, with Syria absent, AP reported.
John Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador, said that after a decade of being frozen out of the world economy by sanctions against Saddam Hussein's regime "it is time for the Iraqi people to benefit from their natural resources."
Earlier, the French foreign minister stated said war opponents -- France, Russia and Germany -- are to back the UN resolution lifting sanctions on Iraq and letting London and Washington run the country until a new government is formed.
"We have decided to vote for this resolution and to work toward a consensus within the Security Council," Dominique de Villepin said.
De Villepin said the resolution is the "result of a compromise", and that the US, Britain and Spain "have listened to their partners."
France's top diplomat added, however, the French support does not mean Paris now approves of the U.S.-led invasion.
According to De Villepin, the revised version of the U.S.-backed U.N. resolution was much better than the original.
Britain, the US and Spain, made more than 90 changes from the original draft introduced on May 9 to respond to concerns of other council members, according to Richard Grenell, spokesman for the US ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte.
The resolution ended nearly 13 years of sanctions, imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. (Albawaba.com)
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