The humanitarian dimension.

• Position: Includes related article on arms inspectors' visits to presidential sites - Cover Story

The Security Council on 20 February unanimously adopted resolution 1153 (1998) in which it expanded the "oil-for-food" programme by authorizing Iraq to sell $5.2 billion worth of oil over a a six-month period - up from $2 billion under previous arrangements laid down in 1995. At the same time, the Council requested that the Secretary-General appoint a group of experts to determine, in consultation with Iraq, whether the country could export $5.2 billion worth of oil. Iraq had indicated that under its current operational capacity it could export only a maximum of $4 billion worth of petroleum and that any higher target was "unrealistic and unfeasible". The Council confirmed that, based on an independent report on Iraqi production and transportation capacity, it might be willing to consider authorizing the export of the necessary equipment to enable Iraq to increase its oil exports.

Resolution 1153 called for a distribution plan, submitted by the Government of Iraq, which included a description of the goods to be purchased and effectively guaranteed their equitable distribution. The new arrangements would take effect only after the Secretary-General approved a distribution plan. In the past, the need for an approved plan stalled the oil-for-food programme. For that reason, the Secretary-General had recommended in his 2 February report the use of a "single, ongoing distribution plan, kept under constant review and amended as necessary". Iraq subsequently rejected that recommendation, stating that an ongoing distribution plan would contravene the "exceptional and temporary" nature of the oil-for-food programme.

The Secretary-General on 10 February proposed detailed discussions with the Government to "review ali relevant issues and reach agreements as required with a view to enabling the Government to prepare and submit a revised distribution plan at the earliest possible date".

The Humanitarian Programme Coordinator for Iraq, Dennis...